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Early #Detection and #Surveillance of the #SARS-CoV-2 #Variant #BA32 — Worldwide, November 2024–February 2026 (US CDC, MMWR, March 19 '26)

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By G.M.

 


Summary

-- What is already known about this topic?

- CDC tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants internationally using digital public health surveillance and in the United States using genomic surveillance, including wastewater and traveler-based surveillance. 

- The highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 was first detected in a respiratory sample collected on November 22, 2024, in South Africa.


-- What is added by this report?

- As of February 11, 2026, BA.3.2 had been reported in 23 countries. 

- Detections began increasing in September 2025. 

- In the United States, BA.3.2 was detected in nasal swabs from four travelers, three airplane wastewater samples, clinical samples from five patients, and 132 wastewater samples from 25 U.S. states.


-- What are the implications for public health practice?

- Monitoring the spread of BA.3.2 provides valuable information about the potential for this new SARS-CoV-2 lineage to evade immunity from a previous infection or vaccination.


Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 was first identified in South Africa on November 22, 2024. BA.3.2 has approximately 70–75 substitutions and deletions in the gene sequence of the spike protein relative to JN.1 and its descendant, LP.8.1, the antigens used in the 2025–26 COVID-19 vaccines. CDC is using a multimodal SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance approach to monitor the emergence and spread of BA.3.2 and other SARS-CoV-2 variants internationally and within the United States. The first U.S. BA.3.2 detection occurred on June 27, 2025, through CDC’s Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program in a participant traveling to the United States from the Netherlands. The first U.S. detection of BA.3.2 in a clinical specimen collected from a patient was reported on January 5, 2026. As of February 11, 2026, BA.3.2 had been detected in voluntarily self-collected nasal swabs from four U.S. travelers, clinical samples from five patients, three airplane wastewater samples, and 132 wastewater surveillance samples from 25 states. BA.3.2 has been reported by at least 23 countries. SARS-CoV-2 continues to cause substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. BA.3.2 mutations in the spike protein have the potential to reduce protection from a previous infection or vaccination. Continued genomic surveillance is needed to track SARS-CoV-2 evolution and determine its potential effect on public health.

Source: 


Link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7510a1.htm?s_cid=OS_mm7510a1_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM153709&ACSTrackingLabel=Week%20in%20MMWR%3A%20Vol.%2075%2C%20March%2019%2C%202026&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM153709

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