The 7-day Covid-19 infection rate in South Kesteven is bobbing up and down after a strong rise last week.

Six cases were recorded today, compared with ten last Tuesday and five the Tuesday before that.

The number of cases over the past week was 55, compared with 58 compared in the week to yesterday and 55 in the week to Saturday.

This is more than four times the recent low of 12 in the week to the Tuesday two weeks ago.

This means the 7-day rate for South Kesteven is now 38.6 cases per 100,000 of population, which is still less than half of the England 7-day case rate of 94.6.

South Kesteven now has a recorded 7777 cases since the start of the pandemic- about one for each 20 residents, which compares with the England average of one for each 15 residents.

The number of reported deaths remains at 270, following an 'increase' by 3 last Wednesday due to changes in how the figures were calculated, rather than any actual deaths.

Overall, there have been 124 coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday — almost double compared to last Tuesday (90.77% rise from 65), as government bosses continue to hold out for July 19 lockdown easing.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday recorded 63 new cases in Lincolnshire, 50 in North East Lincolnshire and 11 in North Lincolnshire.

The dashboard reported one further death of a North East Lincolnshire resident, while NHS figures confirmed one death at a Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals Trust facility.

Nationally on Tuesday, cases increased by 11,625 to 4,651,988 — the highest since mid-February — while a further 27 deaths took the tally to 128,008.

Boston and Lincoln have seen infection rates double over the past seven days, however, North East Lincolnshire still tops the Greater Lincolnshire table.

According to the latest data, in the seven days up to June 21, Boston saw its infection rate jump from 28.5 per 100,000 population to 62.7 with an extra 44 cases overall. Nationally it went from 249th highest to 163rd.

Meanwhile, Lincoln moved from the bottom of the Lincolnshire table and 315th nationally to third and 220th respectively. A further 48 cases in the city saw its infection rate jump from 25.5 to 62.7.

There are also fears people could be at higher risk of getting flu this winter after last year's lockdown led to "effectively" no respiratory viruses.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday did not rule out further lockdowns in the winter, warning that it could be a "rough" season.

Andy Fox, deputy director of public health at Lincolnshire County Council said there were concerns that "we didn't have a flu season, essentially, last year, simply because of self-isolation."

People have until Thursday to make the most of walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations in Lincoln and Boston.

Depending on age and eligibility, people can attend one of the county's two Mass Vaccination Centres for a first or second dose, without an appointment.

Meanwhile, the next three locations in Lincoln for the mobile vaccination unit have been revealed, including the local mosque and The Arboretum, for people to receive their first COVID-19 jab on a Saturday without needing an advance booking.

The jab bus was set up in Lincoln temporarily to help with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and started in the car park of Bridge Central on Saturday, June 19.

Over the next three weekends, it will allow for anyone who has not yet had their first dose, and is eligible to do so, to turn up and get jabbed without needing to book.

Nationally, government bosses have been attempting to reassure people that COVID restrictions will end on July 19.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said in the House of Commons that it was his "hope and expectation".

"We will have done what we set out to do, which is to get extra jabs in more people's arms to provide us with that extra level of protection we were seeking," he said.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the data was encouraging and that the growth in cases seemed to be slowing – with hospitalisations and deaths staying low.

The UK government has also confirmed that the crowd capacity at Wembley will be increased to more than 60,000 for the semi-finals and final of Euro 2020. It will mean the stadium will be able to be three-quarters full.

However, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon this afternoon confirmed delays to the nation's own COVID restrictions.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday, June 22

9,892 in North Lincolnshire (up 11)

2,195 deaths (up one)

1,622 from Lincolnshire (no change)

271 from North East Lincolnshire (up one)

42 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

454 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)