SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 Variant Detection

The highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant has been reported by at least 23 countries as of February 11. In the United States, it has been detected in nasal swabs from four travelers, clinical samples from five patients, three airplane wastewater samples, and 132 wastewater surveillance samples across 25 states.

Variant Characteristics and Origin

The BA.3.2 strain was first identified in a respiratory sample in South Africa in November 2024. It features approximately 70 to 75 substitutions and deletions in the gene sequence of its spike protein when compared to the JN.1 variant and its descendant, LP.8.1, which are the antigens used in current COVID-19 vaccines.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) described BA.3.2 as a new and genetically distinct lineage from the JN.1 lineages that have circulated in the U.S. since January 2024.

Global and Domestic Spread

Detections of BA.3.2 began increasing in September 2025. The CDC’s Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program identified the first U.S. instance of the strain on June 27, 2025, in an individual traveling from the Netherlands.

From November 2025 to January 2026, weekly BA.3.2 detections rose to approximately 30% of sequences in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The first documented U.S. clinical specimen with BA.3.2 was on January 5, 2026.

As of February 11, the strain's prevalence among 2,579 national genetic sequences collected since December 1, 2025, was 0.19%.

Ongoing Evolution and Public Health Implications

Researchers noted that many countries have limited genomic detection and surveillance capabilities, suggesting that the actual geographic extent of spread may be underrepresented. Phylogenetic analyses have identified the emergence of two BA.3.2 sublineages, BA.3.2.1 and BA.3.2.2, indicating continued viral evolution.

Due to BA.3.2 mutations in the spike protein, there is a potential for reduced protection from vaccination or prior infection.

Ongoing genomic surveillance is deemed necessary to monitor SARS-CoV-2 evolution and assess its potential impact on public health.