The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the heavily mutated Covid variant BA.3.2, nicknamed "cicada," has been detected in wastewater and nasal swabs across 25 U.S. states. The variant is one of several respiratory viruses circulating in the United States during spring 2026, alongside influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and a stomach bug.

The symptoms of most of these viruses — sniffles, cough, muscle aches and fever — are similar, making it difficult to distinguish infections without testing. Covid symptoms are no longer typically characterized by loss of taste and smell as they were in the first years of the pandemic.

"Unfortunately, there is not really a distinct trait between these respiratory illnesses," said Dr. Greeta Sood, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. "We also can't really predict, like before, what someone has based on what is circulating. It could be Covid, it could be influenza, and now we have added the prolonged RSV to the mix."

Influenza A infections in the U.S. at the end of 2025 were driven by the H3N2 subclade K variant. As influenza A infections peaked in January 2026, health experts observed an increase in other respiratory viruses.

According to CDC data, Arkansas, North Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming were experiencing moderate levels of respiratory illnesses, while infections were low in other states. Cases of RSV remained high in Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Vermont, according to the agency's data.

Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health, said local data could help people identify what they may be sick with. "Right now, local wastewater data, which measures how prevalent different viruses are in a community, may be able to hint at which virus you may have," Nuzzo said.

"The dynamics of when and where we see more cases differs from virus to virus, so it's important to know what is happening in your community. We do still have a number of respiratory viruses right now that commonly circulate at the beginning of spring," said Marlene Wolfe, an assistant professor of environmental health at Emory University.

The BA.3.2 variant's spike proteins carry mutations that may allow it to evade immunity from prior infections or booster shots. Mask mandates have largely been lifted across the U.S., and few people received the new Covid shots during the winter due to confusion over eligibility.