Spotlight COVID-19 New COVID subvariant 'cicada' is on the rise. Here's what you need to know Rong-Gong Lin II Los Angeles Times Apr 27, 2026 Apr 27, 2026 Updated May 13, 2026 0 × USA Today - News The COVID variant BA.3.2, known as Cicada, is causing rising cases in the U.S. and globally. Find out its symptoms to detect if you've been exposed. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save A highly mutated COVID-19 strain is circulating in California, raising concerns that disease activity could rise heading into the summer.kAm%96 6>6C86?46 @7 E96 qp]b]a DEC2:?[ ?:4<?2>65 Q4:4252[Q 4@>6D 2>:5 3C@256C F?62D:?6DD 23@FE r~'xs G244:?2E:@? C2E6D 2>@?8 D6?:@CD — H9@ 2C6 6DA64:2==J DFD46AE:3=6 E@ E96 G:CFD — 2?5 H96E96C 4@>A=246?4J 27E6C 324<\E@\324< C6=2E:G6=J BF:6E H:?E6CD 92D =67E E96 6=56C=J GF=?6C23=6]k^AmkAm%96 Q4:4252Q ?:4<?2>6 C676CD E@ E9:D DF3G2C:2?EVD 2AA2C6?E 5@C>2?4J 367@C6 :E C66>6C865 :? a_ad[ 2<:? E@ D@>6 A6C:@5:42==J 24E:G6 :?D64ED @7 E96 D2>6 ?2>6]k^Am The timing of the spread of the "cicada" subvariant underscores that COVID-19 has lately morphed into more of a summer disease. Allen J. Schaben, Los Angeles Times k9amr~'xs E:>:?8 492?8:?8k^9am People are also reading… Nebraska football wide receiver target cancels weekend visit Nebraska DED official who guided multimillion-dollar state grant program leaves for Omaha post Dan Oborn hosts roundtable with Omaha small business owners Goodwill opens new thrift and donation center in north Lincoln Papillion's Shadow Lake gets new owner, which plans new tenants Nebraska's Jordy Frahm joins softball team coaching staff as assistant LFR investigating grenade found at Lincoln Goodwill store He loved frogs, big hugs: After act of bravery, 8-year-old is buried in Lincoln. Way-too-early, way-too-specific Super Bowl 61 prediction: Will Seahawks repeat? After Brendan Sorsby ruling, Nebraska A.D. Troy Dannen directs coaches: Don't schedule Texas Tech Social media reacts to Nebraska softball's pitching coach retiring Tiny town Weston defies the odds, is celebrating 150 years One dead overnight after car flips, catches fire in north Lincoln Longtime Lincoln restaurant Ali Baba Gyros opening 2nd location. Here's where. New Lincoln road closures could affect how you get around kAm%96 E:>:?8 @7 E96 DAC625 @7 E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E 2=D@ F?56CD4@C6D E92E[ 2E =62DE :? r2=:7@C?:2[ r~'xs 92D >@CA965 :?E@ >@C6 @7 2 DF>>6C 5:D62D6] x? 724E[ E96 DF>>6C A62<D @7 r~'xs :? a_ac 2?5 a_ad H6C6 H@CD6 E92? E96:C C6DA64E:G6 H:?E6C A62<D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 r2=:7@C?:2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 !F3=:4 w62=E9 — 2 DE2C< 56A2CEFC6 7C@> E96 62C=:6C J62CD @7 E96 A2?56>:4[ H96? H:?E6C DFC86D @44FCC65 H:E9 56G2DE2E:?8 C68F=2C:EJ]k^AmkAmx?DE625 :E H2D E96 7=F E92E H2D E96 5@>:?2?E C6DA:C2E@CJ G:CFD E96 =2DE EH@ H:?E6CD[ H:E9 E9:D A2DE D62D@? 4@?D:56C65 >@56C2E6=J D6G6C6]k^Am kAmQ%9:D 4:4252 G2C:2?E >2J 36 :?4C62D:?8 ;FDE :? E:>6 7@C H92E 7@C r~'xs :D >@C6 @7 2 DF>>6C 9:E[Q D2:5 sC] }6:= $:=G6C>2?[ 5:C64E@C @7 E96 x?764E:@?D :? !C68?2?4J !C@8C2> 2E E96 s2G:5 v6776? $49@@= @7 |65:4:?6 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2[ {@D p?86=6D] Qr~'xs 5@6D?VE D66> E@ A=2J 3J E96 D2>6 CF=6D E92E :?7=F6?K2 E6?5D E@ A=2J 3J[ H96C6 :ED 4J4=6 :D AC65:4E23=6]Qk^Am kAmsC] !6E6C r9:?\w@?8[ 2 &r $2? uC2?4:D4@ :?764E:@FD 5:D62D6D 6IA6CE[ D2:5 4:4252 :D Q2 5:776C6?E <:?5 @7 G2C:2?E E92EVD :?4C62D:?8] xE =@@<D D@ 5:776C6?E 7C@> E96 @E96C @?6D E92E 92G6 366? 4:C4=:?8 D:?46 y}]` 42>6 @? 3@2C5Q :? =2E6 a_ab]k^Am kAmQ|J 62CD 2C6 A6C<:?8 FA[Q 96 D2:5]k^Amk9am!F3=:4 962=E9 :>A24E V4@?D:56C23=6Vk^9amkAmx? =23 DEF5:6D[ E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E 677:4:6?E=J 6G256D :>>F?:EJ 7C@> 2 AC:@C G244:?2E:@? @C :?764E:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 C6A@CE AF3=:D965 3J E96 &]$] r6?E6CD 7@C s:D62D6 r@?EC@= 2?5 !C6G6?E:@?] %92E C2:D6D E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 2 D62D@?2= :?4C62D6 :? r~'xs\`h[ E96 C6D62C496CD D2:5]k^Am kAmQp=E9@F89 H:56DAC625 :?764E:@?\ 2?5 G244:?6\4@?76CC65 :>>F?:EJ 92G6 564C62D65 C2E6D @7 D6G6C6 r~'xs\`h @G6C E:>6[ E96 AF3=:4 962=E9 :>A24E @7 r~'xs\`h :D DE:== 4@?D:56C23=6[Q D4:6?E:DED C646?E=J HC@E6 :? E96 rsrVD |@C3:5:EJ 2?5 |@CE2=:EJ (66<=J #6A@CE]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 E96 a_ac\ad C6DA:C2E@CJ G:CFD D62D@?[ E96C6 H6C6 2? 6DE:>2E65 cd[___ E@ ec[___ r~'xs 562E9D 2?5 bh_[___ E@ dd_[___ 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@?D]k^AmkAmp A@E6?E:2= FAE:4< :D 4@?46C?:?8 2D C646?E r~'xs G244:?6 4@G6C286 C6>2:?D D42?E — 6G6? 2>@?8 E96 >@DE GF=?6C23=6] k^AmkAmQ%@ >6[ E96 3:886DE E9C62E ]]] :D E96 =@H G244:?2E:@? C2E6 :? D6?:@CD[Q r9:?\w@?8 D2:5] Q%96 =2?5D42A6 @7 5:G:D:G6?6DD 2C@F?5 G244:?6D :D =625:?8 A6@A=6 E@ 36 4@?7FD65 2?5 E@ E9:?< @7 r~'xs 2D 36:?8 A@=:E:42= H96? :EVD ?@E]Qk^Am kAm%96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E H2D :?:E:2==J 56E64E65 :? $@FE9 p7C:42 :? }@G6>36C a_ac 2?5 7:CDE 7@F?5 :? E96 &]$] :? 2 D2>A=6 8:G6? 2E $2? uC2?4:D4@ x?E6C?2E:@?2= p:CA@CE :? yF?6 a_ad 3J 2? :?E6C?2E:@?2= EC2G6=6C 7C@> E96 }6E96C=2?5D]k^AmkAmqJ E92E $6AE6>36C[ 56E64E:@? @7 E96 DF3G2C:2?E H2D :?4C62D:?8] x? }@G6>36C[ qp]b]a H2D :56?E:7:65 :? 2 H2DE6H2E6C D2>A=6 :? #9@56 xD=2?5[ 2?5 2>@?8 A2E:6?ED[ E96 7:CDE 56E64E:@?D @7 E96 ?6H DF3G2C:2?E H6C6 7@F?5 :? E9C66 DE2E6D :? s646>36C 2?5 62C=J y2?F2CJ]k^Amk9amr:4252 D66? 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5k^9am kAmpD @7 u63CF2CJ[ E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E H2D C6A@CE65 :? ab 4@F?EC:6D 2?5 92D 2=D@ 366? D66? 2>@?8 2:C=:?6 A2DD6?86CD E@ E96 &]$] EC2G6=:?8 7C@> E96 &?:E65 z:?85@>[ y2A2? 2?5 z6?J2] ~G6C E96 2FEF>? 2?5 H:?E6C[ 23@FE b_T @7 4@C@?2G:CFD D2>A=6D 2?2=JK65 :? E9C66 tFC@A62? 4@F?EC:6D — v6C>2?J[ E96 }6E96C=2?5D 2?5 s6?>2C< — H6C6 E96 r:4252 DF3G2C:2?E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 |@C3:5:EJ 2?5 |@CE2=:EJ (66<=J #6A@CE]k^Am kAmxEVD ?@E 2 DFC67:C6 36E E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E H:== 3C:?8 2 DF>>6C @7 >:D6CJ[ 9@H6G6C] r~'xs H2D?VE 2AAC64:23=J H@CD6 E9:D A2DE H:?E6C E92? :? AC6G:@FD J62CD :? 46?EC2= tFC@A6]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 r2=:7@C?:2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 !F3=:4 w62=E9[ E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E C6>2:?D 2E =@H =6G6=D :? E96 DE2E6VD H2DE6H2E6C[ 2?5 E96C6 92G6 366? ?@ C6A@CED @7 :?4C62D65 D6G6C:EJ @7 :==?6DD 2>@?8 E9@D6 H9@ H6C6 :?764E65] xEVD 2=D@ ?@E AC@;64E65 E@ 36 2 A2CE:4F=2C=J 72DE\8C@H:?8 DF3G2C:2?E[ ?@C 2 5@>:?2?E @?6]k^Am kAm%96 =2DE E:>6 E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E H2D 56E64E65 :? @?6 AF3=:4 52E232D6[ :E C6AC6D6?E65 23@FE dT @7 D2>A=6D :56?E:7:65 :? &]$] H2DE6H2E6C 7@C E96 H66< @7 |2C49 ag[ 244@C5:?8 E@ p=6I2?5C:2 q@69>[ AC@76DD@C @7 4:G:= 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 6?8:?66C:?8 2E $E2?7@C5 &?:G6CD:EJ 2?5 AC:?4:A2= :?G6DE:82E@C @7 (2DE6H2E6C$rp}[ H9:49 >@?:E@CD D6H286 E@ EC24< E96 AC6D6?46 @7 :?764E:@FD 5:D62D6D]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 E96 7:CDE H66< @7 pAC:=[ E9@F89[ E96 4:4252 DF3G2C:2?E H2D ?@E 56E64E65[ 2?5 2== @7 E96 D2>A=6D H6C6 @7 2?@E96C r~'xs DEC2:?[ )uv[ 244@C5:?8 E@ q@69>]k^AmkAmxEVD ?@E23=6 E92E 4@?46?EC2E:@?D @7 E96 4@C@?2G:CFD :? H2DE6H2E6C 92G6 366? C6=2E:G6=J =@H 2?5[ 2D 2 C6DF=E[ Q:E :D 92C5 E@ @3E2:? 9:89\BF2=:EJ[ 9:89\4@?7:56?46 D6BF6?46D[Q q@69> D2:5]k^Am Wellness Gen Z is the loneliest generation. Here's what can help Deborah Vankin Los Angeles Times Wellness What to know about psychedelic therapies cited by Trump Nancy Lapid Reuters 0 Comments Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story They’re in remission, but their medical bills aren’t: Cancer survivors navigate soaring costs Surviving cancer is only part of the journey. For millions, the cost of care continues to shape daily life. COVID-19, pandemic trauma and why the hantavirus anxiety is hitting us so hard A hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship last week stirred up anxiety and feelings of unease for many people who are still grappling with th… What to know about COVID variant 'Cicada' as cases rise The COVID variant BA.3.2, known as Cicada, is causing rising cases in the U.S. and globally. Find out its symptoms to detect if you've been exposed.
They’re in remission, but their medical bills aren’t: Cancer survivors navigate soaring costs Surviving cancer is only part of the journey. For millions, the cost of care continues to shape daily life.
COVID-19, pandemic trauma and why the hantavirus anxiety is hitting us so hard A hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship last week stirred up anxiety and feelings of unease for many people who are still grappling with th…
What to know about COVID variant 'Cicada' as cases rise The COVID variant BA.3.2, known as Cicada, is causing rising cases in the U.S. and globally. Find out its symptoms to detect if you've been exposed.
