With cases of international variants of COVID-19 identified in South Carolina, state health officials are working to expand testing access while working out how to proceed with vaccine distribution. On Sunday, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced a confirmed case of the coronavirus that first emerged in the United Kingdom. State officials were notified late Friday of the case, which is an adult in the Pee Dee region with a history of international travel. âThe B.1.1.7 variant has been identified in many countries and 32 states, with a total of 467 cases being reported in the United States,â said Dr. Michael Kacka, DHEC chief medical officer.