Dr. Lee Smith is the county health officer and executive director of the Monongalia County Health Department. TWV FILE PHOTO Times West Virginian Apr 13, 2021 Dr. Lee Smith is the county health officer and executive director of the Monongalia County Health Department. TWV FILE PHOTO MORGANTOWN â Health officials in Monongalia County report that there are almost 200 identified cases of COVID-19 variants in the county. Ninety percent of the California variant cases identified in West Virginia are in Monongalia County, while one-third of the stateâs U.K variant cases are in Mon. âThese variants of concern are both more infectious, and the U.K. variant is associated with an increased risk of death,â said Lee B. Smith, MCHD executive director and county health officer. âThese mutations occur on the outside of the virus and change the way they adhere to human cells, but do not change how the virus behaves. This means the illness looks the same but may be more severe.â