'Freedom Day' saw 76 cases of Covid-19 recorded in South Kesteven- further fuelling the district's 7-day case rate.

However, no deaths were again recorded, making it almost 11 weeks without a death with Covid-19 in South Kesteven.

The total remains at 270, with the last fatality related to the virus in the district being on Wednesday May 5.

The last fatality priority to that was Tuesday March 25, showing South Kesteven has experienced just two deaths with Covid-19 in more than 15 weeks.

However, the 7-day case rate in South Kesteven has continued rising, with it increasing by half over the past week.

The 76 positive tests today compares with 134 positive tests recorded over the weekend, 109 on Friday and 61 people testing positive on Thursday.

Today's 76 positive tests also compares with 39 last Monday and 31 the previous Monday.

Overall, there have been 8778 recorded cases in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic- equivalent to about one for about 16 residents in the district.

The 7-day rate is now 259.8 cases per 100,000- meaning one-in-400 will have tested positive with the virus over the past week- compared 167.1 in the week to last Monday and 93.4 the Sunday before.

However, despite the sharp increases, it remains well below the England average of 426.1 cases per 100,000.

The England average 7-day rate has steadily risen in recent weeks, while the South Kesteven figure has tended to fluctuate at a much reduced level before creeping upwards.

The figures come as testing has been ramped up significantly across the country, with more than 1 million tests taking place on Sunday and 7.2 million over the past week.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire there have been 652 cases of coronavirus confirmed today as the country marks the lifting of the majority of coronavirus restrictions.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Monday reported 363 new cases in Lincolnshire, 201 in North East Lincolnshire and 88 in North Lincolnshire.

The number is 35% higher than last Monday's 482 cases.

NHS England has reported one further death of a COVID-19 positive patient in Lincolnshire's hospitals on Monday – the second in the past seven days in the county and the fourth across the Greater Lincolnshire region's facilities. Prior to last week, United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust had gone over a month without a death.

Government figures, which include both those inside and out of hospital as well as the deaths of Lincolnshire residents outside of the county, also recorded one further death in Lincolnshire.

Nationally, cases increased by 39,950 to 5,473,477 while deaths rose by 19 to 128,727.

The rules being relaxed today include:

• The end of one metre-plus social distancing
• No need to to wear masks indoors, in shops and on public transport
• The limits on visitors to care homes will be lifted
• The legal limits on people meeting indoors and outdoors will be removed
• All businesses will be allowed to reopen, including night clubs
• The request to work from home where possible will also be scrapped
• No COVID certificate will be required to enter any venue or event – though businesses may choose to require some way to show COVID status

Government bosses have agreed to open up coronavirus vaccinations to 12-15-year-olds with severe health conditions.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday said he had listened to advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), but stopped short of allowing all under-18s to receive a vaccine.

The decision instead includes those with severe neuro-disabilities, Down's Syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, July 19

11,558 in North Lincolnshire (up 88)

302 from North Lincolnshire (no change)

43 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

456 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)

5,473,477 UK cases, 128,727 deaths