A new coronavirus variant known as «Cicada» (BA.3.2), has already been reported in 23 countries. The World Health Organisation is closely monitoring the situation, as this strain is more likely to affect children and may not show symptoms for a long time.
Distribution of the Cicada variant in the world
According to BBC, The new variant of the coronavirus, Cicada (BA.3.2), has been detected in 23 countries. WHO reports that this strain is spreading rapidly, but there is no reason to believe it is more dangerous than previous variants.
Experts pay particular attention to the fact that this variant affects children more often. However, there has been no significant increase in severe cases among this population group.
Features of the new strain
The Cicada variant has significant mutations that can cause it to remain undetectable for a long time. This makes it difficult to diagnose and control the spread of the virus early.
According to the WHO, there are vaccines partially protect against the new strain. The disease remains mild in most cases, which distinguishes Cicada from a number of previous coronavirus variants.
WHO actions and recommendations
WHO is closely monitoring the spread of variant BA.3.2 and urges countries to strengthen monitoring. The organisation recommends following standard preventive measures, such as vaccination and wearing masks in crowded areas.
We remind you that previous waves of the pandemic were also accompanied by the emergence of new strains, but timely measures helped to avoid massive complications.
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