Key Summary
- The Covid-19's cicada variant is predicted to become dominant in the UK.
- Reported in 23 countries, the variant already accounts for roughly 30 percent of sequences in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
- Experts warn the strain may spread more effectively among children.
A new SARS-CoV-2 variant called Cicada has been spreading rapidly in the UK and could disproportionately affect children.
The variant has been, named after a tropical insect, has now been reported in 23 countries so far.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that from November 2025 to January 2026, weekly detections of the virus increased to around 30 percent of Covid-19 sequences reported in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Scientists say cicada spreads faster than other variants.
The virus is better at evading the body’s immune defences as it has around 75 genetic changes in its spike protein, the part of the virus that helps it get into cells.
Prof Ravi Gupta, of Cambridge University has said that Cicada could spread most in children who are not immune to Covid.
Gupta, who advised the UK government during the pandemic, said the virus has been found in the UK and expects it to become a dominant strain.
He said it is different from the earlier Covid-19 viruses and they are studying its immune evasion ability.
Analysis has shown that it may be more prevalent among young children.
The Cicada variant is a descendent of the Omicron that emerged in 2021 and was first detected in South Africa in 2024 before seeming to disappear, the CDC reported this month.
However, no evidence has been found to believe that the virus will cause more severe diseases.
Even though current vaccines may be less effective, it offers better immunity against the disease.
