The 7-day infection rate for Covid-19 in Rutland has perked up a little after reaching its lowest in months.

The county recorded just three cases over the weekend, but due to how the 7-day rate is calculated, the weekly number of cases increased from 11 on Friday to 16 yesterday.

The increase comes amid a backdrop of a massive increase in testing nationally, including of children returning to school.

This week, as previously reported by Nub News, a rapid testing service will be launched in Rutland.

The latest figures still show the county having a 7-day case rate of 40.1 cases per 100,000 well below the England average of 57.1, which has consistently declined.

The three cases recorded over the weekend now gives Rutland a grand total of 1591 cases- equivalent to one case for every 25 residents.

The total number of deaths in Rutland remained at 60- about one for every 700 residents. This is better than the England average of one for every 500 residents and has remained there for more than 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, in Lincolnshire, South Kesteven has recorded a raise in its 7-day infection rate of around a quarter.

The district has recorded 111 cases over the past week, giving it a 7-day case rate of 77.9. This compares with 89 cases in the week to last Sunday and a rate of 62.5.

Recently, a low of 80 cases were recorded in the week to Wednesday March 10.

Over the weekend, South Kesteven recorded 33 cases, giving a grand total of 7125- equivalent to about one case for every 20 residents.

The number of deaths remains at 264, meaning one death for about 600 residents, which is better than the England average of about one death for every 500 residents.

Overall, there have been 328 new coronavirus cases and seven COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire over the weekend.

This means last week there were altogether 1,091 COVID cases and 22 deaths in Greater Lincolnshire, compared to 1,120 cases and 24 deaths the week before — a 2.6% drop in cases and 9% reduction in deaths.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 199 new cases in Lincolnshire across Saturday and Sunday, 81 in North Lincolnshire and 48 in North East Lincolnshire.

By the end of Sunday, six deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, one in North East Lincolnshire and -1 in North Lincolnshire.

Fluctuations in data are usually due to some deaths in those areas being reallocated to other regions across the UK or a miscount. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England reported two new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust. This means 17 hospital deaths were recorded last week, down from 21 the week before.

The weekend saw national cases increase to 4,296,583, while deaths rose to 126,155.

Over the weekend, the number of daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the UK has hit a record high for a third consecutive day.

A combined total of 844,285 first or second doses were given on Saturday, up from 711,157 on Friday.

Boris Johnson is expected to urge EU leaders this week to dismiss any proposals to block coronavirus vaccine exports to the UK.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisted over the weekend that the EU has the power to "forbid" exports of coronavirus doses, adding: "That is the message to AstraZeneca."