South Kesteven has now gone 11 weeks without a Covid-related fatality.

But with 49 positive tests reported today, the district has recorded a further increase in its 7-day rate, making it the highest in months.

Nationally, 73 deaths were recorded today, but South Kesteven hasn't recorded such a death since Wednesday May 5.

The last fatality priority to that was Tuesday March 25, showing South Kesteven has experienced just two deaths with Covid-19 in more than 15 weeks.

The overall total remains at 270, about one for each 600 of the population, compared to the England average of one-in-500.

However, the 7-day case rate in South Kesteven has continued rising, with it almost doubling over the past week.

The 49 positive tests today compares with 64 yesterday and 76 on Monday. Last Wednesday saw 42 cases and there were 35 the Wednesday before that.

Overall, there have been 8891 cases in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic- equivalent to about one for about 16 residents in the district.

The 7-day rate is now 331.4 cases per 100,000- meaning one-in-300 will have tested positive with the virus over the past week- compared to 185.4 in the week to last Wednesday and 104.6 on the Wednesday before.

However, despite the sharp increases, it remains well below the England average of 510.9 cases per 100,000.

The England average 7-day rate has steadily risen in recent weeks, while the South Kesteven figure has tended to fluctuate at a much reduced level before creeping upwards.

The figures come as testing has been ramped up significantly across the country, with 900,000 tests taking place on Monday and 7.15 million over the past week.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire today, There have been 664 cases of coronavirus and two COVID deaths.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday reported 332 new cases in Lincolnshire, 226 in North East Lincolnshire and 106 in North Lincolnshire.

The number is 7% higher than last Wednesday's 618 cases.

NHS England reported two new deaths of COVID-positive hospital patients across the Greater Lincolnshire region with one at United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust and the other at Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Trust.

Government figures also reported the death of a resident in North Lincolnshire.

Nationally, cases increased by 44,104 to 5,563,006, while deaths rose by 73 to 128,896.

Locally, the COVID vaccination programme in Lincolnshire has reached its 85% target, having given well over 900,000 first and second doses to people across the county.

The vaccination teams have reached 84.5% of the eligible population (first vaccinations, cohorts 1-12), and continue to urge people to come forward to get jabbed.

Nationally, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised for disruption caused by self-isolation rules but said isolating contacts was a "vital" defence against COVID.

New figures from the Care Quality Commission have shown there were more than 39,000 deaths involving coronavirus in care homes in England between April 10, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

The ONS has also said around 92% of adults in the UK have COVID antibodies.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday, July 21

11,740 in North Lincolnshire (up 106)

303 from North Lincolnshire (up one)

43 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

457 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

5,563,006 UK cases, 128,896 deaths