BA.3.2 Tracker
BA.3.2 is a subvariant of the Omicron lineage currently under monitoring by WHO and national health authorities. It has been detected in sequence databases across multiple countries, with limited but increasing coverage.
BA.3.2 is also referred to in some media coverage as "Cicada."
WHO classification
Variant under monitoring
As of March 2026
Countries with detections
12+
Based on available sequence data
Global share (est.)
<5%
Of recent submitted sequences; highly uncertain
Data coverage
Limited
Sequence submission rates vary widely by country
Last data review
March 28, 2026
WHO is tracking BA.3.2 as a variant under monitoring. It is not currently classified as a variant of concern or variant of interest.
Country data
Search for a country to see available BA.3.2 detection and COVID-19 activity data. Data quality varies significantly by country.
Search for a country above, or select one from the map or table below to see available data.
Show map
Loading map…
Click any row to view country detail. Sort by column headers.
| Japan | Detected | ~6.1% | 16 Mar 2026 | Moderate to high activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| Hong Kong | Detected | ~5.8% | 17 Mar 2026 | Moderate activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| India | Detected | ~5.7% | 14 Mar 2026 | Moderate activity | ↑ Rising | Medium |
| South Korea | Detected | ~5.3% | 14 Mar 2026 | Moderate activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| Denmark | Detected | ~5.1% | 17 Mar 2026 | Low to moderate activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| Singapore | Detected | ~4.9% | 18 Mar 2026 | Moderate activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| Sweden | Detected | ~4.6% | 15 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| Israel | Detected | ~4.4% | 15 Mar 2026 | Moderate activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| United Kingdom | Detected | ~4.2% | 15 Mar 2026 | Moderate activity | ↑ Rising | High |
| Switzerland | Detected | ~4% | 14 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| Netherlands | Detected | ~3.8% | 13 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| Ireland | Detected | ~3.6% | 11 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| Australia | Detected | ~3.5% | 11 Mar 2026 | Low to moderate activity | → Stable | High |
| Austria | Detected | ~3.4% | 13 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| Belgium | Detected | ~3.3% | 12 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| Germany | Detected | ~3.1% | 12 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | High |
| New Zealand | Detected | ~3% | 10 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | Medium |
| United States | Detected | ~2.8% | 10 Mar 2026 | Low to moderate activity | → Stable | Medium |
| Thailand | Detected | ~2.7% | 5 Mar 2026 | Low to moderate activity | → Stable | Medium |
| Spain | Detected | ~2.5% | 5 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | Medium |
| Canada | Detected | ~2.2% | 7 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | Medium |
| France | Detected | ~2% | 8 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | Medium |
| Italy | Detected | ~1.9% | 3 Mar 2026 | Low activity | → Stable | Medium |
| Brazil | Detected | ~1.4% | 28 Feb 2026 | Moderate activity | — | Low |
| South Africa | Unknown | — | 15 Jan 2026 | Low activity | — | Low |
| China | Unknown | — | — | — | — | Unknown |
| Russia | Unknown | — | 20 Jan 2026 | — | — | Unknown |
| Portugal | Unknown | — | 1 Feb 2026 | Low activity | — | Low |
| Mexico | Unknown | — | 30 Jan 2026 | — | — | Low |
| Indonesia | Unknown | — | — | — | — | Unknown |
What we know and don't know
What we know
BA.3.2 is a subvariant within the Omicron lineage of SARS-CoV-2.
WHO classifies BA.3.2 as a variant under monitoring (VUM) — the lowest monitoring tier, below variants of interest (VOI) and variants of concern (VOC).
BA.3.2 has been detected in submitted sequences from at least 12 countries as of late March 2026.
Some media coverage refers to BA.3.2 by the informal name "Cicada." This name is not used in official WHO or ECDC communications.
Countries with high-confidence recent detections include Japan, Hong Kong, Denmark, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, based on available GISAID sequence data.
Global sequence submission rates have declined significantly since 2023, which limits the representativeness of available data.
What we don't know
Whether BA.3.2 has meaningful immune evasion advantages over currently circulating variants. No published clinical or immunological data is available as of this update.
Whether the severity profile of BA.3.2 differs from other recent Omicron subvariants. No comparative severity data is currently available.
The true global prevalence of BA.3.2. Sequence submission rates are too sparse and uneven to support global prevalence estimates with confidence.
Whether BA.3.2 is spreading in major countries with limited international sequencing, such as China, Indonesia, or Russia. Absence of data from these countries is not evidence of absence.
Whether WHO will reclassify BA.3.2 as a variant of interest or variant of concern. No signals currently indicate this is imminent, but the situation is evolving.
How BA.3.2's sequence-level characteristics translate to real-world transmissibility or clinical outcomes. Additional prospective data is needed.
Sources
Primary sources used in this page. Follow links to verify claims directly.
| Source | Type | Date | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHO Variant Tracking World Health Organization | Official / Public health | WHO classification and monitoring status for BA.3.2 as a variant under monitoring. Defines classification tiers and current global assessment. | |
| GISAID EpiCoV Database GISAID Initiative | Sequence database | Primary international repository for SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences. Sequence share and detection data for country-level BA.3.2 signals are derived from GISAID submissions. | |
| UKHSA Technical Briefings UK Health Security Agency | Official / Public health | UK-specific BA.3.2 detection rates, sequencing coverage, and broader COVID-19 activity indicators for England. | |
| CDC Respiratory Virus Data US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Official / Public health | US respiratory virus surveillance data including available SARS-CoV-2 variant and wastewater monitoring. National clinical sequencing volume has significantly declined since 2023. | |
| RKI COVID-19 Surveillance Robert Koch-Institut | Official / Public health | German national COVID-19 surveillance hub. Weekly variant reports include BA.3.2 sequence share and broader epidemiological indicators. | |
| ECDC COVID-19 Situation European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control | Official / Public health | Pan-European monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Aggregates national reporting from EU/EEA member states, including country-level detection data. | |
| NIID Variant Surveillance National Institute of Infectious Diseases (Japan) | Official / Public health | Japan national variant report including BA.3.2 share in recent sequences and COVID-19 clinical activity data. | |
| Nextstrain SARS-CoV-2 Phylogeny Nextstrain / Bedford Lab | Sequence database | Phylogenetic analysis and clade-level tracking of SARS-CoV-2. Useful for lineage context and geographic spread of BA.3.2. Uses openly available sequences (no GISAID login required). | |
| Outbreak.info Lineage Reports Outbreak.info / Scripps Research | Editorial summary | Automated lineage prevalence tracking aggregated from GISAID. Used as a cross-reference for country-level share estimates. |
World Health Organization
WHO classification and monitoring status for BA.3.2 as a variant under monitoring. Defines classification tiers and current global assessment.
GISAID Initiative
Primary international repository for SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences. Sequence share and detection data for country-level BA.3.2 signals are derived from GISAID submissions.
UK Health Security Agency
UK-specific BA.3.2 detection rates, sequencing coverage, and broader COVID-19 activity indicators for England.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
US respiratory virus surveillance data including available SARS-CoV-2 variant and wastewater monitoring. National clinical sequencing volume has significantly declined since 2023.
Robert Koch-Institut
German national COVID-19 surveillance hub. Weekly variant reports include BA.3.2 sequence share and broader epidemiological indicators.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
Pan-European monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Aggregates national reporting from EU/EEA member states, including country-level detection data.
National Institute of Infectious Diseases (Japan)
Japan national variant report including BA.3.2 share in recent sequences and COVID-19 clinical activity data.
Nextstrain / Bedford Lab
Phylogenetic analysis and clade-level tracking of SARS-CoV-2. Useful for lineage context and geographic spread of BA.3.2. Uses openly available sequences (no GISAID login required).
Outbreak.info / Scripps Research
Automated lineage prevalence tracking aggregated from GISAID. Used as a cross-reference for country-level share estimates.
Methodology & caveats
Country data is derived from GISAID sequence submissions and official national health authority reports. Confidence labels refer to data quality, not to variant risk or severity. Sequence share values are not population-representative prevalence estimates.
Updates
Initial launch
BA32.org launches with country data covering 30 countries, sources section, methodology, and structured what-we-know / what-we-don't-know blocks.