Nine Covid-19 cases were recorded in South Kesteven today, causing a small increase in its 7-day infection rate.

The number compares with 14 cases last Wednesday, but how the figures are revised and calculated meant the 7-date still increased.

In the week to today, South Kesteven has recorded 72 cases, compared with 65 in the week to yesterday and 108 in the week to last Wednesday.

This gives a 7-day rate of 50.6, which is well above the England average of 28.2.

In total, 7465 cases have been recorded in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic. This is about one-in-20 of the population.

No deaths were recorded today, but yesterday the district record its first Covid-linked fatality in more than 3 weeks.

The total of 266 since the start of the pandemic means that around one-in-600 South Kesteven residents will have died withing 28 days of a positive test for the virus.

This is better than the England average of one-in-500 residents.

Overall, there have been 41 new coronavirus cases and no COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday — down from 67 cases and two deaths last Wednesday.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 21 new cases in Lincolnshire, 11 in North East Lincolnshire and nine in North Lincolnshire.

On Wednesday, -2 deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in Northern Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county. Fluctuations in data can occur for a variety of reasons including corrected data, misdiagnoses or wrong addresses.

NHS England has reported no new local hospital deaths at the four Greater Lincolnshire health trusts.

On Wednesday, national cases increased by 2,491 to 4,378,305, while deaths rose by 38 to 127,161.

In local news, more than a third of call-outs for Lincolnshire Police assistance are related to mental health issues, as the force has seen spikes in suicide rates affecting young people disproportionately.

This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple lockdowns across the UK, with Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Chris Haward expecting further increases in mental health reports as the county leaves lockdown.

Since Monday, Greater Lincolnshire's average infection rate has fallen, compared to the England average that has seen a small increase.

Boston, North Lincolnshire, South Kesteven and Lincoln City have seen small spikes since Monday, with North Kesteven remaining the same and the other districts noticing a reduction.

Boston has the 8th highest infection rate in the UK currently.

Attached is Greater Lincolnshire's infection rates up to April 14, according to the government dashboard:

In national news, about of half of the UK population in private households is estimated to have COVID-19 antibodies, meaning they have been vaccinated or were previously infected.

A survey by the Office for National Statistics suggests that an estimated 54.9% of people in England had the antibodies in the week ending March 28. This figure is largely unchanged from the previous two weeks, when the last survey was done.

A major UK trial looking at whether COVID vaccines can be mixed with different types of jabs used for first and second doses is being expanded.

Combining vaccines might give broader, longer-lasting immunity against the virus and new variants of it, and offer more flexibility to vaccine rollout.

58,813 cases (up 41)

40,956 in Lincolnshire (up 21)

8,603 in North East Lincolnshire (up 11)

2,182 deaths (no change)

1,611 from Lincolnshire (down two)

268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,302 hospital deaths (no change)

810 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)

1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)