Taylor Swift has announced a new single titled "Patient Zero," which will be released on Friday, 25 September, with pre-orders available on her website for 24 hours. The announcement is significant because it comes amid months of speculation about potential re-recordings and special editions, and fans continue to analyse embedded Easter eggs for clues about further releases to come.

Limited edition CDs of the single are available for purchase and will ship on 13 October. Swift included coded messages in an Emmys sketch appearance, where fans discovered the word "encore" hidden in the third letters of cryptic phrases, and some have found an anagram suggesting a release of "Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)" on 10 November, though whether this represents an intentional message remains unclear. Further announcements are expected, potentially coinciding with her appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, where she will receive the inaugural Artist Director Award.