Just six cases of Covid-19 were recorded in South Kesteven, fuelling a further decline its seven day infection rate.

Over the past week, the district has recorded 22 cases, compared with 47 in the week to last Thursday and 65 in the week before that.

This gives South Kesteven a 7-day infection rate of 15.4 cases per 100,000, which is well below the England average of 24.5.

This is the lowest since last year and less than a tenth of figures earlier in the year when at times it exceeded 400 cases per 100,000.

Overall, South Kesteven has seen 7540 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 about three 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.

Overall, there have been 63 new coronavirus cases and two COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, compared to 53 cases and no deaths this time last week.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 41 new cases in Lincolnshire, 21 in North Lincolnshire and one in North East Lincolnshire.

On Thursday, one death was registered in Lincolnshire and one in North Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England has reported no new local hospital deaths for the 11th day in a row.

National cases increased by 2,445 to 4,414,242, while deaths rose by 22 to 127,502.

Nearly 70% of the Lincolnshire adult population has received a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and a quarter of the county its second, according to the latest figures.

Data released on Thursday shows altogether 596,153 jabs have taken place in the county between December 8 and April 25 — a further 46,631 in the last week, and up on the 41,242 jabs given the week before.

In other news, Boston's own Jonathan Van Tam was the one to give health secretary Matt Hancock his first dose of coronavirus vaccine on Thursday.

Mr Hancock tweeted an image of him and England's deputy chief medical officer "JVT" at the Science Museum.

More people from Eastern European communities are being invited to have a walk-in COVID-19 jab at Boston's large vaccination centre.

The mass vaccination centre at the Princess Royal Sports Arena in Boston will be hosting another European day on Sunday, May 2, in an attempt to encourage more Eastern European people to get their coronavirus vaccine.

Heathrow's chief executive has said he is "deeply concerned" the UK's Border Force will not be able to cope with additional COVID checks if all foreign travel resumes from May 17.

John Holland-Kaye told Sky News the Home Office and UK Border Force "need to get a grip" on the checks or change the system ahead of that date – when the government is hoping to allow people to go on holiday again.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, April 29

9,505 in North Lincolnshire (up 21)

306 from North Lincolnshire (up one)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

450 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

4,414,242 UK cases, 127,502 deaths