Coronavirus numbers increased again last week with 1,120 new cases in Greater Lincolnshire and 24 COVID-related deaths — compared to 818 cases and 19 deaths in the first week of March.

In South Kesteven, the seven day case rate increased from 83 cases per 100,000 last Sunday, to 89 cases yesterday.

This gives a 7-day case rate of 62.5, compared with an England average of 58.7.

Over the weekend, 25 cases were recorded in South Kesteven, compared with 10 the previous weekend, giving a grand total of 7000 cases- about one recorded case for every 20 residents.

The number of deaths remained the same at 263 however, compared with an increase of two last weekend.

The return to school was not blamed for the increase in the county's cases, with fewer than 100 positive tests across the region in the first week. However, outbreaks in factories and farms in the south of Lincolnshire continue to push South Holland twice over the England average infection rate.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Saturday and Sunday recorded 169 new cases in Lincolnshire, 79 in North East Lincolnshire and 54 in North Lincolnshire.

Six deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, however, a revision to the government figures (usually corrected due to incorrect data such as address) saw North Lincolnshire's death tally reduced by one. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England reported five new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, bringing the total so far this week to 21, up from 15 last week.

Sunday, national cases reached 4,258,438, while deaths increased to 125,516. In national news this morning UK regulators have continued to urge people to take up the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab after concerns over blood clots. Several EU countries have paused the use of the jab after reports of the potential side-effect but the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency says the evidence doesn't back that up. Hospitality bosses have also threatened court action over the government's lockdown pathway. Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Sunday, March 14

55,502 cases (up 302)

38,996 in Lincolnshire (up 169)

8,405 in North Lincolnshire (up 54)

8,101 in North East Lincolnshire (up 79)

2,131 deaths (up five)

1,571 from Lincolnshire (up six)

299 from North Lincolnshire (down one)

261 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,268 hospital deaths (up six)

791 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up five)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)

435 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one) 4,258,438 UK cases, 125,516 deaths