Seven deaths and 67 cases helped South Kesteven rise to runner-up position as Lincolnshire's coronavirus hot spot.

Today's figures came as Greater Lincolnshire reported 1,643 new coronavirus cases and 83 COVID-related deaths this week – compared to 1,670 cases and 71 deaths last week.

Some 304 new cases and 17 deaths were reported in Greater Lincolnshire on Friday – the third day in a row with 17 deaths.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard today recorded 252 new cases in Lincolnshire, 28 in North Lincolnshire and 24 in North East Lincolnshire.

Among the districts, South Kesteven recorded 67 cases today, compared with 76 cases yesterday, 65 on Wednesday, 42 on Tuesday and 78 on Monday.

This gives a grand total of 5,524 cases since the start of the pandemic, equivalent to about one-in-25 of the district's population.

The number of cases over the past week has increased to 435 today, compared with 422 yesterday, 415 on Wednesday, 395 on Tuesday and 410 on Monday.

This gives a current 7-day rate of 305.4 cases per 100,000 of population.

Last Monday, South Kesteven had a 7-day rate of 391.8 cases per 100,000, so the number of fresh cases have dropped by a quarter since then.

The England 7-day average is currently 472.9 cases per 100,000, similar to recent days, but below the 527.4 of early in the week.

The number of deaths today in South Kesteven increased 7 to 165, or 120.8 per 100,000, which means almost one-in-a-800 have died of Covid-19 in the district since the start of the pandemic.

On Friday, 14 deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, two in North East 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 reported six new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, four at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) and one at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals. Some 51 hospital deaths have been recorded this week, compared to 48 last week.

On Friday, national cases increased by 40,261 to 3,583,907, while deaths rose by 1,401 to 95,981.

Lincolnshire health bosses estimate that 80-90% of new coronavirus cases in the county are now a mutant, more infectious strain of COVID.

Figures earlier this week said that by January 8, 59.2% of cases had confirmed the new virus — up from 36% by the end of 2020 — and now county leaders estimate the number to be even higher.

The COVID mutation that has taken over most new cases in Lincolnshire is not only more infectious, but also more deadly, it has been revealed.

NHS bosses are hoping to offer all care homes in Lincolnshire the first COVID vaccine dose by the end of the week. This comes as almost 5.4 million people have received jabs nationally.

Director of Nursing at Lincolnshire CCG Martin Fahy told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that about three quarters has been completed so far.

A single week in December saw Lincolnshire deaths reach 13 times the yearly average, explained local health bosses frustrated with COVID deniers.

Lincolnshire County Council's Director of Public Health Professor Derek Ward explained that the week including December 14 would usually see an average of 23 deaths, but 2020 say 301 deaths that week.

In national news, there are no plans to pay everyone in England who tests positive for COVID-19 £500 to self-isolate, No 10 has said.

The PM's official spokesman said there was already a £500 payment available for those on low incomes who could not work from home and had to isolate.

The coronavirus R number in the UK has fallen sharply since last week, suggesting the lockdown is slowing the spread of coronavirus.

The R, which refers to the number of people that an infected person will pass COVID-19 on to, is between 0.8 and 1 across the UK, according to the figures released by the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).

This means for every 10 people infected with COVID-19, they will pass the virus on to between eight and 10 others.

Lincoln City has taken the top spot with the highest infection rate in Greater Lincolnshire.

This week saw South Holland at the top which was put down to two outbreaks in care homes with up to 100 cases. South Holland has now dropped to third place in the region.

Greater Lincolnshire still remains way below the national average infection rate of 472.9, with just 217.3 per 100,000 of the population.