FRANKFORT, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear's office is trying to ease the prison population by ordering the release of hundreds of inmates because of the coronavirus. 

In the last two weeks, 749 people have been released from Kentucky prisons and the governor says all are related to the virus. 

"Those that have committed nonviolent, nonsexual crimes, that are either within six months of the end of their entire sentence or medically fragile, especially due to the coronavirus. They are all due to the coronavirus."

679 of the commutations came in Executive Order 2020-278.

Prisoners from all over the state — being released under specific guidelines — including testing negative for the virus and self-quarantining for a couple of weeks after their release. 

Four of the inmates come from the Green River Correctional Center, where as of Thursday, the virus has infected 50 inmates and staff    

The governor says, "This continues to be of great concern. Any kind of closed facility the virus can really spread in. One of the reasons why we have to be real careful in the steps that we take."