The 7-day Covid-19 infection rate is spiking upwards in South Kesteven with the rate more than trebling in the past week.

After ten cases were recorded in the district today, this gave South Kesteven it's highest rate in almost two months.

However, the district once again did not record any deaths today, with South Kesteven going more than three weeks with a death.

Nationally, ten deaths with Covid were reported today, compared with 13 last week, while recorded case numbers increased from 6048 last Tuesday to 7673 today.

Some 63 people across the UK have now died within 28 days of a positive test over the past week, a decrease of 9 or 12.5 per cent compared with the week before.

The figures come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday announced a delay in 'Freedom Day' by four weeks, though some restrictions, such as ending the limit of numbers at weddings were eased.

Today's ten cases compares with 5 last Monday, four yesterday and 14 over the weekend.

It means the case rate for the district have more than almost trebled since the 7-day infection rate reached a low of 8.4 cases per 100 last Tuesday.

The 7-day rate sharply increased from 14.7 on Friday to 23.9 cases per 100,000 on Monday, to 26 yesterday and 30.2 today, based on the district reporting 43 cases over 7 days.

South Kesteven now has a recorded 7719 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 deaths remained at 267, as it has for three weeks. Before the last death, the district went almost six weeks without recording a fatality, making it two deaths in about the last two months in South Kesteven.

Overall, there have been 65 new COVID-19 cases, but no deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday, as local leaders reacted to the latest lockdown delays.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 36 new cases in Lincolnshire, 23 in North East Lincolnshire and six in North Lincolnshire.

The figure is 40.3% higher than last Tuesday's total of 46 but down on yesterday's figure of 87 – a weekly total so far of 152.

Infection rate data from June 7 to June 14 shows most areas of Lincolnshire have seen cases increase, with North East Lincolnshire also in the top 100 nationally at a rate of 71.4 per 100,000.

South Holland, however, has seen a decrease in its rates from 31.6 to 21 and dropping down the infection rate table.

No further deaths were added on to the government's public health figures or those from NHS England.

Nationally COVID cases increased by 7,673 to 4,581,006 while deaths rose by 10 to 127,917.

Following on from the Prime Minister's announcement that the final stage of lockdown easing was delayed, local leaders have been reacting today.

Lincolnshire health bosses said the government's delay was the "right decision", however, they said they understood people were "fed up".

But business and council leaders, along with local venues, have bemoaned a lack of additional funding or support – with many traders still struggling to make a profit, or even open, under the COVID-19 restrictions.

Nationally, on Tuesday, it was revealed more than 30 million people in the UK had now had their two doses of a COVID vaccine – around 57.3% of the population.

Downing Street has also confirmed it hopes to offer all over-18s in England their first dose by the end of this week.

Meanwhile, new analysis by Public Health England (PHE) has found two doses of a COVID vaccine are highly effective against hospitalisation from the Delta (Indian) variant.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday, June 15

9,832 in North Lincolnshire (up six)

307 from North Lincolnshire (no change)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

453 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

4,581,006 UK cases, 127,917 deaths