The 7-day case rate for Rutland has increased again, but it remains well below the England average.

18 cases were reported today, giving the county a 7-day case rate of 107.7 cases per 100,000 of population, based on 43 cases over a week.

This compares with five cases recorded yesterday, 7 last Wednesday and 5 the Wednesday before.

Rutland's 7-day case rate of 107.7 compares with the England average of 157.

England's 7-day case rate has crept up in recent weeks, whilst in Rutland it has fluctuated at low levels, at one stage recently amongst the lowest in the country, before increasing strongly in recent weeks.

Rutland has now recorded 1798 cases recorded since the start of the pandemic- about one case for every 25 residents. This compares with the England average of almost one-in-15.

The number of deaths remains at 65, the same as yesterday- about one for every 600 residents, which compares with the national average of one-in-500 residents.

Rutland's last recorded death was on the last Wednesday of April, the only death with Covid-19 recorded in Rutland during April and so far in May and June.

Meanwhile in Lincolnshire, South Kesteven recorded 27 cases today, compared with 14 cases cases yesterday, 10 on Monday, 27 over the weekend, 9 last Wednesday and 9 the Wednesday before. But it continues to have the lowest 7-day case rate in Greater Lincolnshire.

Overall, some 71 cases have been recorded over the past week compared to 69 in the week to yesterday and 55 in the week to Monday.

This gives South Kesteven a 7-day case rate of 49.9 cases per 100,000, which is less than a third of the England average of 157. 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.

No deaths were recorded in the district and the number since the start of the pandemic remains at 270. The last fatality in South Kesteven was over a month ago, with two fatalities in just over two months.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire, there were 343 new cases of coronavirus confirmed today (Wed) , as cases nationally (26,068) reach the highest tally since late January.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday reported 128 new cases in Lincolnshire, 172 in North East Lincolnshire and 43 in North Lincolnshire. The total is 71% higher than last Wednesday, which saw 201 cases confirmed.

The figures showed no further deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents in the government's data, however, NHS England today reported one new death in facilities provided by Lincolnshire Community Health Service. The first recorded in 11 days.

Despite the high case rate hospitalisations across the region have remained low, as have deaths.

Nationally, cases increased by 26,068 to 4,800,907 while deaths rose by 14 to 128,140.

Grimsby, Lincoln and Boston have continued to have the highest COVID-19 infection rates across Greater Lincolnshire in the past week. South Kesteven is the lowest.

North East Lincolnshire has gone from 57th highest in England to 37th according to the latest government figures, with the infection rate rising from 125.3 per 100,000 population to 278.9 between June 21 and June 29.

In Rutland, the county council urged people to be tested, amid a background of rising numbers, with the Delta variant responsible for 90 per cent of cases.

Walk-in vaccinations were also taking place for Rutland over 18s at the Oakham Vaccination Centre between 1pm and 7pm today.

Nationally, the government has said it hopes to lift school restrictions and bubbles as part of the step four easing of COVID-19 restrictions on July 19.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said during questions in the House of Commons today that he wanted restrictions for children to end at the same time.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also told MPs he hoped the vaccination programme would soon enable people to start flying abroad again, as the Balearic Islands and other destinations have moved on to the Green list.

Elsewhere, nearly 2,000 COVID-19 cases in Scotland have been linked to people travelling to London to watch the Euro 2020 match against England on June 18.