Greater Lincolnshire has gone a second consecutive day without any COVID-19 related deaths reported.

The latest government statistics published this afternoon (Wed) showed no people had died after testing positive for coronavirus at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust or Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.

This means the total number of deaths at ULHT remains at 136, with 115 at NLaG.

Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust and Lincolnshire Community Hospitals Trust have also not reported any further deaths with their totals remaining at 1 and 3 respectively.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Greater Lincolnshire is 322.

Nationally, a further 88 people who tested positive for the Coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 27,707.

Earlier, a spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday has been blamed on three factory outbreaks in Lincolnshire.

Deputy director of public health Tony McGinty said he was not certain on why case numbers rose by 21 — to a total of 1,142 since tests began.

But besides a rise of seven cases on June 2, there had only been three new cases in the county since.

There were fears a spike in cases may come following a Black Lives Matter protest held in Lincoln on June 4. where more than 500 people took part.

A second protest is set to take place on June 20 in Lincoln, as well as in Cleethorpes on June 13.

However, when asked what could have caused Tuesday's increase, Mr McGinty said: "It is a bit of a jump, we haven't been able to explain that yet although my working theory is we have had outbreak in three food factories that have come up over the last week or so where we've been doing additional testing."

The factories were in Boston and South Holland areas, and Mr McGinty reassured residents that they were "isolated outbreaks in individual places rather than the general rise in numbers across the community."

He praised the council and the factories for a fast response to reduce the ongoing spread of infection.

He added that the Test and Trace system had been in contact with all those affected.

"I think it's worked really well. I'm quite pleased with the rate at which people are being vigilant, noticing potential cases or people with symptoms and pushing them into the testing track system.

"So, we're able to respond really quickly to the relatively small number of activations we've had."

Meanwhile, just three care homes in Lincolnshire are currently tackling outbreaks of COVID-19, compared to 22 at the peak of the pandemic.

Deputy director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council Tony McGinty, however, said he expected to continue to see outbreaks for the foreseeable future, just at a lower level.

The county council monitors around 270 homes across the county.

Mr McGinty said he could not be optimistic that the number would reduce to zero, adding: "I suspect we'll continue to see the odd case or outbreak in care homes for a little while.

"Bearing in mind that COVID isn't going away, it's likely to take up a bit of a position like some of the other infectious diseases that we see in care homes from time to time.

"I'm expecting to see it pop up from time-to-time but not be anywhere near as difficult as it's been over the last few weeks."

The council is using the now-quiet period to carry out further refresher training on infection control and Personal Protective Equipment.

In the week ending May 8, the number of care homes placed under protective special measures due to COVID-19 peaked at 22.

Under the measures, those who test positive are isolated away from other residents – often in their own room – in a bid to limit the spread.

Care workers looking after those affected also increase how much personal protective equipment (PPE) they use.

Family and others are also stopped from visiting.