What you should know about the new COVID-19 'Cicada' variant

medicalxpress - A new COVID-19 variant that some have dubbed the "Cicada" variant is quietly spreading across the globe, carrying an unusually high number of mutations that could help it slip past existing immunity, public health experts say. The strain of SARS-CoV-2, ca…

AI Summary: A newly identified SARS‑CoV‑2 lineage nicknamed "Cicada" is showing signs of increased spread, prompting CDC tracking and expert concern. Public health officials advise heightened surveillance, updated testing and genomic sequencing to determine transmissibility, immune escape and clinical impact, while researchers rush to characterize the variant’s risks and inform any needed response.