2 cases of 'more contagious' COVID-19 UK variant found in Leon County MGN Online and last updated 2021-02-03 10:23:47-05 LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) â Two cases of the U.K. COVID-19 variant have been identified in Leon County. On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) announced the detection of two cases associated with the COVID-19 variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom. DOH-Leon said that they are considering these individuals' priority cases. Now, epidemiologists are working to identify close contacts of the individuals and said they will continue to monitor the individuals closely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no conclusive evidence the variant makes people sicker than the original strain, but they are concerned because it spreads more quickly, is significantly more contagious, and vaccines may be less effective against it.