It seems that children get infected by it more often than adults.
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Cases of infection with the new coronavirus strain "Cicada", officially named BA.3.2, have been found in 23 countries.
And although there is no reason to believe that this strain is more dangerous than others, experts note that children appear to be infected more often than adults.
So, should we worry? The BBC explains.
What is known about "Cicada"?
The BA.3.2 strain was named "Cicada" because after its discovery, it remained "dormant" in some parts of the world — similar to this insect, known for its ability to sleep underground for a long time.
Last month, the American government agency — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — reported cases of the disease in 25 states.
The report stated that the BA.3.2 strain was detected in nasal swabs from four travelers, in clinical samples from five patients, and in 132 wastewater samples.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also placed this strain in the "under monitoring" category, which, it says, means it "may require increased attention," and specialists are now investigating whether it poses a threat to global public health.
Is it true that children are more susceptible to this strain?
An analysis of disease data in New York, conducted by Covid variant researcher Ryan Hisner, suggests that children are more likely to test positive for BA.3.2 than adults.
"This has not been peer-reviewed or published, but it seems to be true," says Professor Ravindra Gupta from the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease.
There are various theories as to why this happens. One is that it is difficult for anyone's immune system to recognize "Cicada" because it is a strain we have not encountered before.
"Children generally have weaker immunity than adults because they haven't encountered as many different viruses and Covid infections, so you would expect their immunity to this particular virus to be quite weak," says Gupta.
In adults, glands that produce antibodies to protect against viruses develop over many years and help strengthen immunity.
"Children have had much less time for this immunity-building process, and that may partly explain why they are more susceptible to this virus," Gupta adds.
Other researchers have suggested that the highly mutated protein of the "Cicada" strain might be behind the cases of infection in children.
Gupta and his team are looking for samples taken from children to conduct further research and find out why this variant appears to affect them more.
How do the symptoms manifest?
Currently, there is no data to suggest that "Cicada" causes more severe forms of the disease in people than other variants of the Covid-19 virus.
"Also, there are no specific symptoms that occur more frequently," adds Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia in the UK.
Covid-19 is accompanied by symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, fatigue, headaches, body aches, shortness of breath, and diarrhea.
"The virus damages the same cells regardless of the strain... so the symptoms you experience remain more or less the same," explains Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading in the UK.
Why has this variant mutated so much?
All viruses mutate over time, and RNA viruses, similar to Covid-19, mutate particularly quickly.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) characterized the BA.3.2 strain as "highly divergent." This means it differs significantly from the original "Omicron" strain.
According to Jones, these mutations can prevent the immune system from recognizing the virus and to some extent allow it to bypass existing immunity.
"The virus is clearly succeeding: it's bypassing antibodies in people's bodies, and that's why the number of cases is gradually rising," he adds.
Will the vaccine still work?
Due to these mutations, Covid-19 vaccines may be less effective in protecting against the "Cicada" strain. Nevertheless, experts insist that existing vaccines still provide some protection against this variant.
"You might get infected, but the illness will be mild," explains Jones.
According to WHO data, 67% of the total population has been vaccinated against Covid-19 to date.
However, access to updated booster vaccines, specifically designed to protect against new strains, varies by region.
Jones explains that pharmaceutical companies will only develop a new version of the vaccine specifically targeting "Cicada" if the number of infections and the severity of the illness sharply increase.
Should we worry?
Epidemiologist Hunter says that it is not surprising that we continue to encounter new variants of the Covid-19 virus.
"We will see new strains of the virus emerge as long as people live on the planet. It is doubtful that SARS-CoV-2 will ever disappear," he adds.
He notes that an increase in "Cicada" cases does not necessarily mean that the overall number of Covid-19 cases or deaths will also increase.
"New strains will appear regularly and contribute to new waves of disease... but, most likely, we will continue to see a decrease in the number of deaths and severe cases," he adds.
In December, WHO stated that there was no data to suggest an increase in severe cases, hospitalizations, or deaths associated with "Cicada," and noted that the new strain poses a low risk to public health.
"[Covid-19] has now become one of the common winter respiratory infections, and people just need to keep it in mind," says Jones. "If they believe the vaccine will benefit them, they should go and get vaccinated."
However, individuals in high-risk groups — including people over 65, those with weakened immune systems, and those suffering from chronic illnesses — may experience severe COVID-19 infection.
"It's important to seek medical attention promptly if your child already has lung disease, heart conditions, or immunodeficiency," says Gupta. "But for most healthy children, the illness should resolve on its own."
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