While the number of new cases of the coronavirus in Kentucky dropped on Monday, but Gov. Andy Beshear says the number doesn’t tell the true story.

“Today, we’re reporting 277 new cases of COVID-19,” he said.  “That number is down because there is a small number of results that came in today from over the weekend.  We expect this number, sadly, to be higher on Tuesday.”

That brings the total number of cases of the coronavirus to 19,653, since the first one in Kentucky was reported on March 6.

“We continue to see a rise in cases in children under the age of five,” Beshear said, “Today, we have 11 under 5 that have tested positive for COVID, and the vast majority of them are in Fayette County.  The youngest one is just 4 months old, so let’s remember, this impacts our children, too.”

There were also four more deaths reported Monday in Kentucky, making that total 629 since the start of the pandemic.  Three of the latest victims were from Fayette County, a 60- and 79-year-old man and a 90-year old woman.  The other was a 77-year-old woman from Warren County.

State Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack explained that there is a three- or four-week lag time between reported cases and deaths.  “People ask why cases are going up, but deaths are going down.  It’s because the deaths will follow the cases going up by a couple weeks.”

Beshear also quoted from a poll that he says shows Kentuckians support the mask mandate.  “It asked directly, do you support requiring people to wear them in grocery stores or retail, schools, and certain outdoor activities?  Folks, it’s not even close, here in Kentucky.  Seventy-three percent of Kentuckians support that mandate that we have some type of facial covering.”

For those who say wearing a mask takes away personal liberty, the governor pointed out that there was similar resistance by some people to a mandatory seat belt law in Kentucky, when that legislation was enacted.

That same poll, conducted July 7-10 by Garin-Hart-Yang research, shows 69 percent of Kentuckians support Gov. Beshear’s handling of the pandemic, including 77 percent of independents.

When asked by reporters about the Kentucky Court of Appeals declining on Monday to overturn a temporary restraining order against some of his executive orders, Beshear responded, “We’re just getting through a dangerous time, and once this thing is gone, all those emergency powers will go away.  I can’t wait until I don’t have to issue these types of orders.”

Read more about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration related to the coronavirus pandemic at kycovid19.ky.gov.

He plans to hold another press briefing, Tuesday afternoon at 4 p. m., EDT.