The number of Covid-19 cases in South Kesteven every week has increased by around a half in less than a fortnight.

However, no-one has died with Covid in the district in nearly a week.

The increase in the 7-day case rate comes amid a backdrop of a massive increase in testing nationally, including of children returning to school.

The latest figures show South Kesteven is bucking the Lincolnshire trend by having a rising 7-day rate, while much of the county continues to enjoy further declines in case numbers.

The district has recorded 121 cases over the past week, giving it a 7-day case rate of 85. This compares with 111 cases in the week to yesterday and 94 in the week to last Monday.

Recently, a low of 80 cases were recorded in the week to Wednesday March 10.

South Kesteven's current case rate of 85 cases per 100,000 compares with the England average of 56.8 cases per 100,000 of population, which has consistently fallen.

Today, South Kesteven recorded 18 cases, giving a grand total of 7143- equivalent to about one case for every 20 residents.

The number of deaths remains at 264, meaning one death for about 700 residents, which is better than the England average of about one death for every 500 residents.

Overall, the fourth week of March has started with 155 coronavirus cases but no deaths, meaning this is the second day after last Friday when no COVID deaths have been recorded in Greater Lincolnshire since October 2020.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Monday recorded 98 new cases in Lincolnshire, 37 in North Lincolnshire and 20 in North East Lincolnshire.

No deaths were registered in Lincolnshire or North East Lincolnshire, with -1 in North Lincolnshire. Fluctuations in data are usually due to some deaths in those areas being reallocated to other regions across the UK or a miscount. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England reported one new local hospital death at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, bringing its total so far to 800 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

On Monday, national cases increased by 5,342 to 4,301,925, while deaths rose by 17 to 126,172, the lowest death tally since last September.

In local news, four Greater Lincolnshire districts have infection rates over twice the England average, which have been put down to outbreaks in schools, supermarkets and factories.

Thirty schools in the county reported 62 positive test results for coronavirus in the seven days leading up to Friday, March 19, according to Lincolnshire County Council.

The comes after 71,146 lateral flow tests were carried out in Lincolnshire schools between Friday, March 12 and Thursday, March 18, of which 85 were positive.

Some 45 people are self-isolating as a precaution after three members of staff tested positive for coronavirus at Bifrangi's site in Lincoln.

Since Sunday, Greater Lincolnshire has seen a slight increase in its infection rate compared to the England average once again seeing a fall.

Boston and South Holland have overtaken North East Lincolnshire in second and third place in the region.

North Lincolnshire has seen another spike in infections in the last 24 hours.

In national news, hearing loss and other auditory problems may be strongly linked to coronavirus, new research suggests.

Scientists estimate 7.6% of people infected with COVID-19 experience hearing loss, while 14.8% suffer tinnitus. They also found the prevalence of vertigo was 7.2%.

Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of the UK's first coronavirus lockdown announcement. Since then, more than 100,000 people have died and millions have been infected with the virus.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, March 22

8,725 in North Lincolnshire (up 37)

299 from North Lincolnshire (down one)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

444 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

Across the UK there have been 4,301,925 UK cases and 126,172 deaths.