Uzbekistan Assesses Risks of New COVID Variant

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Committee for Sanitary-Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health of Uzbekistan has commented on reports concerning a new COVID-19 variant known as “Cicada” (BA.3.2), stating that it currently does not pose a serious public health threat.

According to the First Deputy Chair of the committee, Nurmata Otobekov, the variant has already been identified previously and is not characterized by a high rate of transmission.

It is noted that the World Health Organization has recorded this variant in 23 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Mozambique.

International health institutions continue to monitor the situation; however, there is currently no evidence suggesting that the new variant is more dangerous than previous strains of the coronavirus.

Preliminary data indicate that the clinical presentation is similar to the Omicron variant and includes respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, cough, sore throat, mucosal irritation, and in some cases loss of smell and taste.

Experts note that children may be more frequently affected by this variant, which is attributed to higher levels of immunity among adults due to vaccination or prior infection, while children generally have lower immune protection.

High-risk groups include elderly individuals, people with chronic illnesses, weakened immune systems, and those with respiratory conditions.

A representative of the sanitary service recommended limiting contact with individuals arriving from regions where cases of the new variant have been detected. At the same time, he emphasized that “Cicada” is not considered a factor that could trigger a new epidemic or pandemic wave.

According to specialists, the epidemiological situation in the country remains stable, with population-level immunity estimated at around 80%, which reduces the risk of widespread transmission.