Eight Covid-19 cases were recorded in South Kesteven today and again no deaths.

The number compares with 14 cases last Thursday, leading to a decline in the 7-day infection rate.

In the week to today, South Kesteven has recorded 65 cases, compared with 72 in the week to yesterday and 101 in the week to last Thursday.

This gives a 7-day rate of 45.6, which is well above the England average of 28..

In total, 7473 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 on Tuesday 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 63 new coronavirus cases and one COVID-related death in Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, compared to 93 cases and no deaths this time last week.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 40 new cases in Lincolnshire, 13 in North Lincolnshire and 10 in North East Lincolnshire.

On Thursday, one death was registered in North Lincolnshire, none in North East Lincolnshire but -1 in Lincolnshire. Fluctuations in data can occur for a variety of reasons including corrected data, misdiagnoses or wrong addresses. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England has reported no new local hospital deaths on Thursday, the second day in a row this week.

National cases increased by 2,672 to 4,380,976, while deaths rose by 30 to 127,191. In local news, more than 500,000 COVID-19 vaccinations have now been administered in Lincolnshire, of which over 425,000 were first doses. The weekly data released on Thursday shows altogether 508,280 jabs have taken place between December 8 and April 11 — a further 39,915 in the last week, but an increase on the 32,282 jabs given the week before. A 16-year-old girl from Bourne who works in a local care home has become one of the youngest people in the country to receive both doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Ellie Goldsmith, who works at Yew Tree Residential in Dowsby, Bourne, has had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, most recently in Grantham on Friday, April 9. Boston's large COVID-19 vaccination centre will be hosting European days over the next two weekends to encourage more communities to have their first dose. Held at the Princess Royal Sports Arena (PRSA) in Boston on Sunday, April 18 (10am-2pm) and Sunday, April 25 (10am-4pm), the days will offer a chance to be given a walk-in vaccine appointment without the need to book. In national news, introducing COVID status certificates to help reopen society risks discriminating against some groups, the UK equality watchdog has warned. The Equality and Human Rights Commission says certificates to prove who is vaccinated could help to ease restrictions "in principle". But they could create a "two-tier society whereby only certain groups are able to fully enjoy their rights". Fighting airborne transmission is key to any future attempts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, a BMJ editorial has said. The editorial looked at how a cloud of exhaled smoke behaves to suggest people are most likely to get the virus when they are standing within one metre of someone who has it. Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, April 15

58,876 cases (up 63)

40,996 in Lincolnshire (up 40)

9,267 in North Lincolnshire (up 13)

8,613 in North East Lincolnshire (up 10)

2,182 deaths (up one)

1,610 from Lincolnshire (down one)

304 from North Lincolnshire (up one)

268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,302 hospital deaths (no change)

810 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)

450 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change) 4,380,976 UK cases, 127,191 deaths