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- The coronavirus variant found in the UK was discovered outside London last year.
- The CDC director said it's now the dominant strain in the US.
- Research has suggested that it's likely associated with higher mortality than other variants.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
A variant of the coronavirus first detected in the UK is now the dominant strain of the virus in the United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
The coronavirus variant found in the UK – B.1.1.7 – was discovered outside London last year, and in the months since, research has suggested that it's likely associated with higher mortality than other variants.
On Tuesday it was revealed that the variant had spread to all 50 states, CNN reported.
"The B117 variant is now the most common lineage circulating in the United States," Walensky said at the White House COVID-19 task force news conference. "The virus still has hold on us, infecting people and putting them in harm's way, and we need to remain vigilant."