CDC denies media rumor about 'U.S. variant' of COVID-19

Rumors of a new and more transmissible variant of COVID-19 circulating in the U.S.—promoted by CNN and numerous other media outlets—were directly rebuked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday. 

The rumor was initially publicized on Friday afternoon by CNN, which said in a report that White House officials were warning of a possible "fast-spreading 'USA variant' of coronavirus" throughout the country. Multiple other media outlets picked up the report. 

Later on Friday, however, the CDC issued a formal statement to media in which it denied having detected any such variant in the country. 

"To date, neither researchers nor analysts at C.D.C. have seen the emergence of a particular variant in the United States," an agency spokesman said. 

Citing statements from government officials, the New York Times said the erroneous reports were "based on speculative statements made by Dr. Deborah Birx," a member of the White House coronavirus task force.