covid variant January 19, 2021 12:16 pm New COVID Strain Confirmed in Mass. While Massachusetts health officials say only one case of the new COVID variant has been detected in the state so far, it has likely been circulating for weeks. US & World Videos 2:50 Rally held in Boston in support of Jewish college students 0:16 4 people seriously hurt after boat sinks off Cape Cod 24:50 @Issue: Biden signs the foreign aid bill, and a retrospective of Boston's 2024 Olympics bid 3:05 100 protesters detained at Northeastern University 2:39 Community mourns police sergeant killed on duty