Photo by W.Va. Governor's Office COVID UK Variants keep growing in West Virginia By Charles Boothe | Bluefield Daily Telegraph May 4, 2021 6 hrs ago Gov. Jim Justice said Monday the COVID UK Variants are spreading throughout West Virginia. Photo by W.Va. Governor's Office CHARLESTON â The UK variant of COVID-19 is spreading more rapidly in the state. Dr. Clay Marsh, the state COVID-19 Czar, said Monday during Gov. Jim Justiceâs pandemic briefing, that just during the last several days positive UK variant cases in the state have risen from 468 to 930. âWe are now experiencing a more rapid growth of the UK variant,â he said, adding that the vaccines are âremarkably effectiveâ to protect against the variants. âWith the variants growing â¦(here and around the world) this (vaccines) is the way we slow down and stop the variants.â