Yesterday, Gov. Ron DeSantis touted the low number of new coronavirus cases reported overnight, highlighting a drop in new infections in counties where businesses were allowed to partially reopen.

DeSantis said the daily report from the Florida Department of Health disputed the idea that areas, where restrictions have been eased, will see large increases in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19.

While he promised to closely monitor the continuing march of the disease, of the 386 new COVID-19 cases reported Monday only 183 were in the 64 counties where restaurants and retail shops were allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity seven days ago.

“It’s been a pretty consistent theme throughout this, from the very beginning,” he said, noting that 16 million people live in the 64 counties compared with 6 million in the three South Florida counties.

Palm Beach County, where restaurants, retailers, barbershops, and hair and nail salons were allowed to partially re-open on Monday, recorded an additional 19 cases, bringing its total to 3,889. That number is among the lowest one-day increases since the pandemic began.

The number of deaths from COVID-19 continued to slow. Only 14 new deaths were reported statewide on Monday, a day after just six people were reported dead. Those are some of the lowest numbers of fatalities reported since April 1.