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By Daniella Gray
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A new COVID variant known as BA.3.2 has been detected across 25 U.S. states and may make immunity from vaccines or past infections less effective.
BA.3.2 is a heavily mutated subvariant of Omicron and was first identified in a respiratory sample collected in South Africa in November 2024. Since then, it has spread internationally and has now been confirmed in 23 countries.
In the U.S., the variant was first identified on June 27, 2025, after it was detected in a traveler from the Netherlands at San Francisco International Airport.
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As of February 2026, BA.3.2 had been detected in 132 wastewater samples across 25 states, alongside confirmed cases in patients and travelers.
In its Mortality Weekly Report, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said detections of BA.3.2 began increasing in September 2025, with wastewater data often identifying the variant before it appeared in clinical testing.
What Are the Symptoms?
According to information compiled on BA.3.2, symptoms appear broadly similar to those seen with other Omicron-related variants. Reported symptoms include cough, fever, fatigue, headache, body aches, sore throat, sneezing and upper respiratory tract infections.
Some cases have also involved loss of smell or taste, though this has been reported less frequently than earlier in the pandemic. As with other COVID‑19 variants, asymptomatic infections have also been documented.
Other reported symptoms include nasal congestion or a runny nose, night sweats, skin rashes and, in some cases, fainting.
Health experts stress that symptom severity can vary widely depending on factors such as age, underlying health conditions and prior immunity from vaccination or previous infection.
Why Researchers Are Watching It Closely
What sets BA.3.2 apart is the number of mutations it carries. According to the CDC, BA.3.2 has approximately 70 to 75 changes in its spike protein compared with JN.1‑lineage viruses, which are targeted by current COVID‑19 vaccines.
Vaccines and past infections train the immune system to recognize the spike protein, but changes to it can make the virus easier to spread and harder to stop.
While laboratory studies suggest reduced antibody neutralization against BA.3.2, the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) have not reported evidence that the variant causes more severe illness than other circulating strains.
Current vaccines are still expected to offer protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death, even as scientists continue to study this latest variant’s impact.
Health officials advise staying up to date with vaccines remains the best way to reduce the risk of severe disease, even as new variants emerge.
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