No deaths with Covid-19 were again recorded in South Kesteven today, but the district reported 16 cases.

The figures released this afternoon also reveal that the 7-day infection rate continues to trend down.

Some 80 cases were recorded in South Kesteven over the past seven days, giving the district a rate of 56.2 cases per 100,000.

This compares with the England average of 61, which is also trending down.

The total number of cases in the district is 6940, which means around one-in-20 residents will have tested positive with the virus at some stage.

The number of deaths, which remains at 263, means that almost one-in-500 will have died with Covid-19 during the pandemic to date.

Overall, there have been 200 new coronavirus cases and five COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday — compared to 181 cases and six deaths last Wednesday.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 127 new cases in Lincolnshire, 37 in North Lincolnshire and 36 in North East Lincolnshire.

On Wednesday, three deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, one in North Lincolnshire and one in North East Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England reported five new local hospital deaths on Wednesday – four at at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.

On Wednesday, national cases increased by 5,926 to 4,234,924, while deaths rose by 190 to 124,987.

In local news, the words 'COVID lies' have once again been spray painted on walls in Louth, despite a local councillor's best efforts to scrub away the vandalism on a weekly basis.

Police investigated last year when the graffiti first started appearing on a boundary wall on St Mary's Lane in the Lincolnshire town.

Some 95% of primary pupils are attending Lincolnshire schools this week, compared to a quarter last month due to schools and colleges in England being closed except for children of key workers and vulnerable pupils.

Around a third of secondary pupils have returned this week compared to 5% in February, with the other two thirds adopting a phased return to the classroom so they can be tested in a "managed way". This is expected to increase over the next few days.

Over 10,000 people have now had a rapid coronavirus test at one of the two community testing facilities in Lincoln since the start of 2021.

An average of 200 people per day have been for tests between the two sites at Lincoln City's LNER Stadium and at St Swithin's Community Centre off Monks Road.

The rapid lateral flow tests provide results in less than an hour.

Greater Lincolnshire's average infection rate has seen a decline since Monday, but still remains above the England average of 61 cases per 100,000 people.

Just two districts have seen a spike since Monday – North East Lincolnshire and Lincoln City.

North Kesteven now has the lowest infection rate in Greater Lincolnshire with South Holland having the highest and ranked 10th nationally. Attached is Greater Lincolnshire's infection rates up to March 10, according to the government dashboard. In national news, Boris Johnson has "corrected" European Council President Charles Michel over his claim that the UK had imposed a "outright ban" on the export of COVID-19 vaccines. Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said the country had "not blocked" the sale abroad of "a single vaccine or its components". Britons hoping to go on holiday after lockdown eases can think about booking a getaway to Greece for mid-May, while Spain has said it could start using vaccine passports that same month. Greece is planning on welcoming foreign tourists from 14 May depending on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday, March 10

54,832 cases (up 200)

38,610 in Lincolnshire (up 127)

8,277 in North Lincolnshire (up 37)

7,945 in North East Lincolnshire (up 36)

2,117 deaths (up five)

1,558 from Lincolnshire (up three)

300 from North Lincolnshire (up one)

259 from North East Lincolnshire (up one)

of which 1,256 hospital deaths (up five)

781 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up four)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)

433 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one) 4,234,924 UK cases, 124,987 deaths