>> Chris Dixon and Sarah Mervosh, The New York Times Published: 30 Jan 2021 08:19 AM BdST Updated: 30 Jan 2021 08:19 AM BdST A person gets a temperature check before entering a COVID-19 vaccine site in Greenville, SC, on Tuesday, Jan 26, 2021, where Prisma Health converted an empty retail space into a vaccine centre. The New York Times South Carolina was already experiencing one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the nation when officials got word this week of an alarming development: A new, more concerning variant of the virus, originally identified in South Africa, had been detected in the state. "); } Not long after, a second case was discovered with no known connection to the first, state officials announced Thursday.