South Kesteven has recorded 68 cases of Covid-19 today, following on from the weekend's first fatality of September.

Altogether, the district recorded ten deaths in August. With Covid-related deaths on May 5 and March 25, South Kesteven has seen 13 Covid related deaths in over 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 281 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 196.2 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.

Today, 68 positive tests were recorded, compared with 118 over the weekend, 91 on Friday, 68 last Monday and 76 the Monday before.

The current weekly rate of 326.1 cases per 100,000 is up on yesterday's 323.3, but down on the 335.1 of Friday and 350.5 of Thursday.

Last Monday saw the figure at 351.9 ands it was at peak of 374.2 the Monday before and 329.6 the Monday before that.

With its fluctuations, South Kesteven now has a higher 7-day infection rate than both Lincolnshire's 299.7 and England's 309.4, both of which have been far more consistent. Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 11,861 positive tests - about one case for each 12 residents. Again, this is better than the England average, which is about one case for every 9 people. The figures come amid much testing, currently running around 1 million a day or 6.8 million over a week nationally. Today, there were 41,192 positive tests recorded, giving 263,885 over the week. This is an increase of 28,795 (12.2%) over the week before. There were 45 deaths recorded today, giving 789 over the past week. This was 16 or 2 per cent down on the week before.