South Kesteven recorded 59 cases, a drop of 30 on yesterday, but the number has pushed the weekly rate to its highest this month.

Yesterday, the 7-day case rate was at its lowest since the weekend but now it is at its highest for nearly 4 weeks.

Today's 59 positive tests compares with 89 yesterday, 78 on Tuesday, 78 last Thursday, and 58 the Thursday before.

After falling from a weekend peak of 329.6 cases per 100,000 to 318.4 yesterday, it now stands at 336.5, the highest since Friday July 23 when it stood at 353.9.

This compares with 303.7 last Thursday and 236.7 the Thursday before that.

This compares with an England average of 308.2 cases per 100,000 of population, which has steadily grown in recent weeks.

Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 10,580 positive tests - about one case for each 14 residents. Again, this is better than the England average, which is almost one case for every ten people.

The figures come amid much testing, currently running around 800,000 a day or 5.2 million over a week.

Prior to the three fatalities earlier this week, the previous Covid-related deaths in the district took place on May 5 and March 25, giving us six deaths in almost 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 274 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 191.3 deaths per 100,000, which is equivalent to one fatality for just over 500 residents. The England average is one death for just under 500 residents.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire, there have been 504 new cases of coronavirus confirmed today as government ministers said COVID "booster" jabs could begin next month.

The latest government data for the region showed 329 cases in Lincolnshire, 85 in North East Lincolnshire and 90 in North Lincolnshire.

One further death was confirmed of a North Lincolnshire resident in the data, however, NHS figures showed no further deaths in Greater Lincolnshire's hospitals.

Nationally, cases increased by 36,572 to 6,392,160 while deaths increased by 113 to 131, 373.

Lincoln has dropped out of the top 10 places with the highest infection rates in the UK, according to the latest seven-day figures.

The Lincoln City area was at the top of the table for over a week, but since August 9 its infection rate has fallen from 669.7 per 100,000 population to 441.8 in Wednesday's figures.

The latest news sees it drop to 15th place nationally and below North East Lincolnshire, which has climbed one spot in the same time period, even though its rate fell slightly from 470.6 to 451.8.

Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of Lincolnshire is now double-jabbed as walk-in vaccination appointments are opened to 16 and 17-year-olds this week.

Vaccine figures released by the government on Thursday showed Lincolnshire health staff have now given out 1,056,410 cumulative doses, up 14,241 on the previous week's 1,042,169 total and an 2,318 more doses than the previous week.

Of those, 564,124 are first doses, while 492,286 are second. The Lincolnshire population is 634,453 according to Office for National Statistics 2020 population estimates. This means the percentage of the population over the age of 16 to have received a first dose is now 89%, while 76% have had their second.

Nationally, health secretary Sajid Javid said he was "confident" COVID booster jabs could be given to the most vulnerable from September.

Final advice is due from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the benefits of a third dose following a meeting on Thursday.

However, during a visit to North Cumbria, Mr Javid said: "We are going to have a booster scheme, it will start sometime in September."

"I couldn't tell you exactly when because before we start it, as people would expect, we need to get the final advice from our group of experts, our independent scientific and medical advisers – the JCVI.

"So, we're waiting for their final opinion and, looking at everything and the timing of that, I'm confident that we can start in September when we will start with the most vulnerable cohorts and start offering that third jab."

The Office for National Statistics today has said that nine in 10 adults are estimated to have antibody levels now.

However, new research suggested that people infected with the Delta variant may still pass the virus on, despite being double jabbed.

University of Oxford scientists said levels of the virus could be equally as high as those who are unvaccinated, but that the vaccine was preventing the disease becoming too severe or leading to death.

Dr Koen Pouwels, one of the lead researchers of the study, said: "The vaccines are better at preventing severe disease and are less effective at preventing transmission."

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, August 19

14,272 in North Lincolnshire (up 90)

307 from North Lincolnshire (up one)

44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

473 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

6,392,160 UK cases, 131,373 deaths