Coronavirus updates: US reports nearly 300,000 new cases in all-time high

Three new cases of the new COVID-19 variant first identified in the U.K. were reported by health officials in San Diego Thursday, leading them to believe there's community-wide transmission of the new variant in the area.

The new variant, known as B. 1.1.7., has also been detected in Colorado and Florida, and is believed to be more transmissible than the old variant, but not thought to be more deadly.

"We believe that many more cases of the B. 1.1.7. strain will be confirmed in the coming days and weeks," Dr. Eric McDonald, medical director of epidemiology and immunizations services at the country health department, said in a statement.

-ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.

California reported 585 COVID-19 deaths over 24 hours on Friday, the highest one-day death toll that the state has reported thus far. Since some counties, such as hard-hit Los Angeles, are still confirming deaths from the virus not counted over the holidays, it's not yet known whether Friday's death report is an anomaly.

Intensive care unit capacity in the state remains extremely strained, particularly in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, each of which had 0% ICU capacity as of Friday, according to the California Department of Health.

-ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton waded into a battle between the city of Austin and Gov. Greg Abbott Friday over whether the city's four-day late-night indoor dining shutdown should be allowed.

Austin's ban, which was set to run between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Dec. 31 until Jan. 3, was upheld by a judge on Thursday. Hours later, at 7:39 p.m. local time on New Year's Eve, the governor released a statement on Twitter telling restaurants to stay open.

Paxton backed the governor on Friday and called for the Texas Supreme Court to halt enforcement of the ban. "We cannot have local declarations conflicting with Gov. Abbott’s clear order," he said in a statement. "I will continue to fight for Texans, small businesses and for an open economy."

-ABC News' Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.

The United States surpassed 20 million coronavirus cases on New Year's Day, with 20,007,149 infections, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. 

In different terms, 1 out of every 16 Americans has tested positive for COVID-19.

As the nation's third COVID wave continues, California has emerged as a major epicenter of the U.S. outbreak and at least three states have reported cases of the new COVID variant, which originated in the U.K. Health experts believe it to be more transmissible than the old variant, although it is not thought to be more deadly.

According to JHU, 346,408 Americans had died of the virus as of Friday.