South Kesteven has recorded 78 cases of Covid-19 today, putting the 7-day rate around its highest since the winter.

This follows 71 cases yesterday, 76 on Monday, 87 last Wednesday and 51 the Wednesday before.

Today's weekly rate of 366.6 cases per 100,000 of population is up slightly on yesterday, but down from Monday's most recent peak of 375.9 cases per 100,000, which exceeds a peak of a month ago and is back to the rates of winter.

However, the number of deaths has substantially fallen since then, which health experts credit on the vaccination programme.

With its fluctuations, South Kesteven and sharper increases, South Kesteven now has a higher 7-day infection rate than both Lincolnshire's 335.6 and England's 327.6, whose growth has been slower but more consistent.

Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 11,044 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 750,000 a day or 5.2 million over a week nationally.

No deaths were recorded today, but there was one yesterday, which follows on from one on Friday, one last Monday and one last weekend.

Before these latest, the previous Covid-related deaths in the district were reported on August 3, August 1, May 5 and March 25, giving us eight deaths in almost 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 276 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 192.7 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.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire today, there have been 594 cases of Coronavirus confirmed, as researchers say vaccine protection has started to drop.

Government figures published on Wednesday afternoon showed 420 new cases in Lincolnshire, 100 in North East Lincolnshire and 74 in North Lincolnshire.

The figures showed two new deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents with one each in Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Meanwhile, NHS figures show four three deaths, with one at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust facilities and two more at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals.

Nationally, cases increased by 35,847 to 6,590,747 while deaths rose by 149 to 132,003.

Researchers have said there is some waning of protection among the double jabbed.

A study of more than two million people who had received two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine saw protection from the former drop to 74% after five to six months and 67% for the latter at four to five months.

Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist on the Zoe COVID Study app, said it was to  be expected, telling Sky News that his "pessimistic guess" was that immunity for early cohorts reduce to 50% by the end of the year.

He said the decrease could be resulting in "breakthrough" infections.

The UK is expected to begin offering some people a third COVID booster jab next month, but is waiting for recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccine Immunisation.

Mr Spector said: "Many people may not need them. Many people may have had a natural booster because they've already had a natural COVID infection, so will effectively have had three vaccines.

"The whole thing needs to be much more carefully managed than just giving it to everybody which would be a huge waste and ethically dubious given the resources we have. I think we need a more targeted approach than last time."

Further warnings of rising numbers have come from the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG).

Professor Ravindra Gupta has told BBC Radio Four there was going to be a surge in cases due to summer festivals, events and the school return.

"Of course there is going to be an associated surge in cases, given that the young people in these events are largely going to be unvaccinated. So that's just something that is predictable and will happen, despite best efforts," he said.

"We know that Delta is far more infectious, it ramps up very quickly. We know the lateral flow devices are not perfect. So we just have to be realistic and say that this is going to lead to a significant surge in infections."

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday, August 25

14,723 in North Lincolnshire (up 74)

308 from North Lincolnshire (no change)

44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

479 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up two)

6,590,747 UK cases, 132,003 deaths