What you need to know about new COVID variant
Houston Chronicle • • health
Key Points:
- The BA.3.2 COVID-19 variant was first identified in South Africa in November 2024 and detected in the U.S. in June via the CDC’s Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program from a traveler arriving from the Netherlands.
- Despite widespread immunity from infections and vaccinations, COVID-19 continues to pose significant public health risks, with an estimated 390,000–550,000 hospitalizations and 45,000–64,000 deaths during the 2024–25 respiratory virus season.
- As of March 12, the BA.3.2 variant has been detected in 23 countries, including widespread presence in the U.S., found in nasal swabs, airplane wastewater, patient samples, and wastewater across 29 states and Puerto Rico.
- The variant’s numerous mutations may enable it to evade immune protection from vaccines or prior infections, potentially reducing the effectiveness of antibodies produced by the immune system.
- Symptoms of the BA.3.2 variant are largely similar to typical COVID-19, with reports of a notably severe sore throat among those infected.
