New COVID variant spreads across US as CDC raises concerns: 'Viral evolution'

A new variant of COVID-19 is spreading across the U.S., health officials say.

At least 23 countries have reported the SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant as of Feb. 11, according to a study published last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The BA.3.2 variant, which the CDC has been tracking through its Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance program, has about 70 to 75 changes in the gene sequence of its spike protein, which is a structure on the surface of the COVID-19 virus that helps it enter human cells.