South Kesteven has recorded 73 Covid-19 cases today, increasing its 7-day infection rate to its highest in over a week.

But emphasising its fluctuating nature, the 7-day rate is still a third lower than a month ago.

Today's 73 positive tests compares with 89 yesterday, 71 on Wednesday, 40 last Friday and 80 the Friday before.

The current weekly infection rate of 243.7 cases per 100,000 of population compares with 221.3 yesterday, 206 on Wednesday, 231.5 last Friday and 328.3 two weeks ago.

With its fluctuations, South Kesteven still has a lower 7-day infection rate than Lincolnshire's 283.9 and England's 277.1, both of which have been far more consistent than the district.

Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 12,870 positive tests - about one case for each 11 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 1.1 million or 6.7 million over a week nationally.

The government's UK Covid-19 tracker also recorded no deaths in South Kesteven today.

However, there was one on Monday- the sixth recorded in South Kesteven during September.

The latest death follows one last Wednesday, one last Monday, and three others earlier in the month.

The six September fatalities compare with ten in August.

Prior to the August and September deaths, South Kesteven reported such fatalities on May 5 and March 25, making it 16 Covid related deaths in over 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 286 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 199.7 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.

Nationally, 35,623 cases were recorded today, making it 234,213 over the week, an increase of 27,881 (13.5%)

on the previous week. The number of recorded deaths today was 180, making it 1,000 over the past week, an increase of 5 or 0.5 per cent over the week before. The number of hospital admissions was 794, making it 5,756 over the past week, a decrease of of 1,085 or 15.9 per cent over the week before.