A new coronavirus variant called "cicada" is spreading worldwide. The pace is slower than past pandemic variants, but concern is growing as the possibility of a summer resurgence overlaps with instability in syringe supplies at medical sites due to the Middle East war.
On the 20th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said in a regular briefing that it is closely monitoring domestic and overseas developments, including the recently spreading coronavirus variant BA.3.2. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BA.3.2 spread from 23 countries in February this year to more than 33 countries as of April.
The variant was first reported in South Africa in Nov. 2024 and then stayed quiet for a while, but detections increased from September last year, showing a renewed spread. Because it reemerges after a long dormancy, similar to cicada ecology, it was nicknamed "cicada."
The spread is clear in Korea as well. According to the disease agency, BA.3.2's share in Korea rose quickly from 3.3% in January to 12.2% in February and 23.1% in March. In respiratory patient specimen analysis for week 15 (April 5–11), the coronavirus detection rate was 6.3%, up from 4.7% the previous week. The authorities said if this trend continues, the overall detection rate is expected to rise in the summer.
Assessments of risk remain cautious. The disease agency views BA.3.2 as less impactful than the Delta and Omicron variants that drove past pandemics. The World Health Organization (WHO) also said there has been no confirmation so far of increased severity or virulence.
Vaccine effectiveness is also assessed as holding up. The disease agency drew a line against some claims that "the vaccines currently in use are useless," saying that is not true, and emphasized that the WHO also recognizes the effectiveness of existing vaccines.
However, it noted that due to the variant's immune-evasive characteristics, case counts could increase somewhat, and it is watching the situation closely. Accordingly, the 2025–2026 season coronavirus vaccination period has been extended from the 30th of this month to June 30.
The problem is supply instability in medical settings. As the war in the Middle East drags on and disrupts supplies of petrochemical raw materials, there are concerns about disruptions in supplies of essential medical disposables such as syringes and needles. Some hospitals and clinics already report shortages, and online distribution channels are seeing price hikes and out-of-stock cases one after another.
In response, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said that as of the 17th, domestic syringe inventories were about 44.79 million units, a sufficient level. It also explained that daily production by syringe manufacturers has expanded to more than 4.87 million units.
Still, on the ground, perceived supply instability continues. The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety sees panic buying driven by anxiety as distorting distribution and began a special crackdown on hoarding of syringes starting on the 20th.
The criteria for determining hoarding include storing more than 150% of the monthly average sales volume for five days or longer, among others, and violations can result in up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won.
An official at the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "Maintaining the response system is more important than the spread of the variant itself," adding, "We will manage vaccine administration in tandem with stabilizing supplies at medical sites."