Senior ministers have agreed to delay the last stage of lockdown by four weeks as coronavirus numbers continue to rise across the UK.

However, despite rising case numbers, South Kesteven has not recorded a death with Covid-19 for around three weeks.

South Kesteven recorded 14 cases over the weekend, an increase on the five recorded last weekend and six the weekend before that.

It means the case rate for the district has 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 yesterday, based on the district reporting 34 cases over 7 days.

South Kesteven now has a recorded 7705 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 around three weeks.

Overall, the latest figures show there have been 387 new COVID-19 cases in Greater Lincolnshire last week and two deaths — compared to just 197 cases (96% week on week increase) and one death the previous week.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard over the weekend recorded 66 new cases in Lincolnshire, 38 in North East Lincolnshire and eight in North Lincolnshire.

No further deaths were added on to the government's public health figures. NHS England does not update its figures over weekends currently.

Nationally COVID cases increased to 4,565,813 with 7,490 of those on Sunday while deaths rose 8 yesterday to 127,904.

Sources in the government have told the BBC that senior members of the government have agreed to the delay of easing current restrictions until July 19, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson expected to hold a press conference at 6pm.

It means the legal limits on social contact would remain, while nightclubs will stay closed and capacity limits at sports, pubs and cinemas will stay in place.

A number of health experts have called for the delay so that more people can be vaccinated and receive their second doses as cases of the Delta (Indian) variant increase.

Health minister Edward Agar said there had been a "concerning increase" and that hospitalisation numbers were "beginning to creep up".

Sky News has reported that the PM will plead for "one last heave" from the public when he announces the delay later.

It is understood extra support for businesses could be included in the announcement.

Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.

9,823 in North Lincolnshire (up eight)

2,197 deaths (no change)

1,622 from Lincolnshire (no change)

268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

453 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)