The 7-day Covid-19 infection rate in South Kesteven is still trending upwards, despite a small decline yesterday/

Fifteen cases were recorded at the weekend, compared with 20 last weekend and five the weekend before.

The number of cases over the past week was 51 compared with 55 in the week to Saturday, and 50 in the week to Friday and a recent low of 12 on the Tuesday, almost two weeks ago.

This means the 7-day rate for South Kesteven is now 35.8 cases per 100,000 of population, which is still less than half of the England 7-day case rate of 85.5.

South Kesteven now has a recorded 7763 cases since the start of the pandemic- about one for each 20 residents, which compares with the England average of one for each 15 residents.

The number of reported deaths remains at 270, following an 'increase' by 3 last Wednesday due to changes in how the figures were calculated, rather than any actual deaths.

Overall, a 53% rise in COVID-19 cases in Lincolnshire last week has continued across the weekend.

The latest figures show there were 591 coronavirus cases in the seven days to Sunday  — compared to the 387 cases the previous week.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded over the weekend 75 new cases in Lincolnshire, 79 in North East Lincolnshire and 15 in North Lincolnshire.

There were no deaths reported in government figures over the weekend, however a decrease in numbers early in the week was due to residents being more accurately designated to their correct addresses.

NHS England no longer reports deaths over the weekend, however, there was one local hospital death in Greater Lincolnshire's four health trusts last week.

A number of coronavirus restrictions were due to be lifted on Monday, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week confirmed a delay of four weeks to July 19 with a review of July 5.

However, weddings and wakes will have the cap of 30 guests removed, while care home residents will no longer have to quarantine for 14 days after days out.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News on Monday morning that it was "unlikely" coronavirus restrictions would be lifted early and that he would "err on the side of caution".

Meanwhile Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed plans for an autumn booster jab programme.

Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast that the government was waiting fro the results of clinical trials into which combinations of vaccines were most effective.

Elsewhere a million extra jabs were booked in two days after social networks such as Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok and Reddit launched campaigns encouraging young people to get theirs.

It comes as data suggests 13% of those aged 16-29 are unsure about getting the jab, the highest levels of vaccine hesitancy.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Sunday, June 20

9,869 in North Lincolnshire (up 15)

302 from North Lincolnshire (no change)

42 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

453 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

4,630,040 UK cases, 127,976 deaths