Rutland has recorded seven further case numbers of Covid-19 today, causing a further rise in the 7-day infection rate.

But once more, there were no deaths and the county still remains well below the national average.

The county's 7-day case rate has shot up this week, after 8 cases were reported yesterday, up from zero yesterday.

The 7-day rate is now 57.6 cases per 100,000, compared with 37.6 on Monday and 32.6 in the week to Sunday.

Last Wednesday, the rate was 12.5 and it was also 12.5 the Wednesday before that.

Rutland's 7-day case rate is just over half the England average of 98.4, and is much higher than the county's 5 rate of the Friday 12 or so days ago, which was based on 2 cases over a week, the lowest since last Summer.

Rutland is currently experiencing an increase in Covid-19 cases.

Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health for Rutland, commented: "In light of a recent school outbreak, we have seen an increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in Rutland. We are working closely with Public Health England and the school to manage the outbreak.

"As reflected across the country, cases are more prevalent in younger unvaccinated groups, mainly among older teenagers. Schools across the county have been working hard to implement the latest COVID-19 guidance, but we urge families to keep testing twice a week to help reduce the risk of introducing the virus into schools.

"It's also important to note that one in three people are asymptomatic and you don't always need to have symptoms to transmit the virus which is why testing is so important. We urge everyone to follow the latest guidance, get vaccinated and remember hands, face and space."

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

Rutland has now recorded 1737 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, there was another slight increase in Coronavirus cases in South Kesteven again today as nine cases were recorded today to add to the six recorded yesterday.

This means the 7-day rate for South Kesteven is now 42.1 cases per 100,000 of population, which is still less than half of the England 7-day case rate of 98.4.

Meanwhile Rutland has again reported a rise in Coronavirus cases with another 7 cases reported today.

Once again, there were zero deaths.

The increase in cases today, added to the 8 cases yesterday, sees the county's 7-day rate rise to 57.6 cases per 100,000 compared with 52.6 cases yesterday.

This is still well below the England's 7-day rate of 98.4 cases per 100,000.

Overall, there have been 201 new coronavirus cases in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday — more than double last Wednesday's figures (103% rise from 99) – and the highest daily count since February.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday recorded 90 new cases in Lincolnshire, 91 in North East Lincolnshire and 20 in North Lincolnshire.

The daily cases number is the highest since February 25 when 263 cases were confirmed, however, March 10 also came close with 200 cases confirmed.

However, both the dashboard and NHS figures reported no further deaths across the region.

Nationally on Wednesday, cases increased by 16,135 to 4,667,870, while a further 19 deaths took the tally to 128,027.

The case tally is the highest number of daily infections nationally since February 6, when 18,262 were announced.

A coronavirus lateral flow testing site in Grantham will close later this month as more people turn to home testing.

The site has tested more than 360 people since it opened at the Meres Leisure Centre on February 25.

Meanwhile, just under a thousand patients are still waiting for treatment for more than a year, as just one COVID-positive patient remains in Lincolnshire's hospitals.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust deputy chief executive Mark Brassington told Lincolnshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday that the trust had seen a peak of 2,000 patients waiting for treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that has now more than halved.

Nationally, 41 cases of a new "Delta Plus" variant have been confirmed in the UK.

The new variant, which is causing problems in India, is believed to have increased transmissibility, stronger binding in receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

UK travel bosses have held a day of action and called for government to reopen the sector.

They say what's left of the summer season needs to be saved, not just for holiday makers but to protect 195,000 travel jobs currently at risk as a result of the COVID pandemic.

The UK gave out 299,837 first doses of COVID vaccines Tuesday – the highest number in nearly three months. A total of 75,188,795 doses have been given overall including 43,448,680 first doses and 31,740,115 second doses.