South Kesteven has now gone almost 4 weeks without a Covid-related fatality as the UK recorded just two such deaths yesterday and five on Saturday.

Over the weekend, the district recorded five cases, compared with 5 last weekend and 6 the weekend before.

Overall, 33 cases have been recorded in the past week, compared with 28 the previous week and 41 the week before that.

This gives South Kesteven a 7-day infection rate of 23.2 cases per 100,000, which is just above the England average of 21.4.

This is down on the 24.6 cases per 100,000 recorded on Friday and the 19.7 cases per 100,000 last Sunday.

Either way, the latest figures remain among the lowest since last year and around a twentieth of figures earlier in the year when the weekly rate exceeded 400 cases per 100,000.

Overall, South Kesteven has seen 7587 recorded cases since the start of the pandemic- which is about one for every 20 residents.

The number of deaths has remained at 266 for almost 4 weeks. This means that around one-in-600 residents have died within 28 days of a positive test since the pandemic started, which compares with an England average of one-in-500.

Across Greater Lincolnshire there were 310 coronavirus cases and three COVID-related deaths last week – 36 fewer cases on the previous week, but one more death.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard over the weekend recorded 39 new cases in Lincolnshire, 15 in North Lincolnshire and eight in North East Lincolnshire.

The numbers mean a 10% drop in cases, but a 50% rise in deaths, week-on-week.

No deaths were registered at the weekend, leaving the weekly tally at three. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England also reported no hospital deaths this weekend with but there were two in the days before. There had been none the previous week.

Over the weekend, national cases increased to 4,434,860, while deaths rose by 7 to 127,605.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce further relaxation of coronavirus measures in the near future.

The BBC reports today that he will say the data supports the move, which could see the return of indoor hospitality and household mixing, from May 17.

It will also mean that people will be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors and six, or two households, indoors. Even hugs between friends and family could be allowed.

Cinemas and soft play areas could also be included.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Sunday, May 9

9,629 in North Lincolnshire (up 15)

307 from North Lincolnshire (no change)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

451 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

4,431,043 UK cases, 127,598 deaths