A further large fall in the Rutland's 7-day infection rate was recorded yesterday.

The county also recorded one more death of someone testing positive with Covid-19.

Some 27 cases were recorded yesterday, an increased on recent days, but due to much higher numbers last week stemming from the prison outbreak at HMP Stocken mean the 7-day rate has fallen back sharply to what it was before.

In total, Rutland has recorded 1431 cases, about one case for every 30 residents.

In the week to yesterday, just 54 cases have been recorded in the county, giving it a 7-day case rate of 135.2 cases per 100,000. Last week, it was more than three times this and among the highest in the country.

Now, the county is back where it was previously, with its 7-day rate below the national average of 142.8 cases per 100,000, which is also on a downward trend.

The total number of deaths increased one to 53, about one-in-800 of the population.

In nearby Lincolnshire, two deaths from Covid-19 were recorded in South Kesteven, but their case numbers are also moving firmly downwards.

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The figures from the government's Covid-19 tracker show the districted recorded 27 cases, an increase on 16 on Tuesday, putting it on 6557 in total- about one for every 20 resident since the start of the pandemic.

However, with 160 cases having been been reported in the district over the past week, this gives a 7-day infection rate of 112.5 cases per 100,000, well under half the level two weeks ago (264) and well below the 208.5 last Wednesday.

This is reflected nationally, which has seen the England 7-day rate drop from 269.1 two weeks ago, to 202.5 a week ago and 142.8 today.

The number of deaths in South Kesteven increased by two today to 244.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire, there have been 204 new coronavirus cases and 10 COVID-related deaths today- up from 145 cases yesterday but down from 20 deaths on Tuesday.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 144 new cases in Lincolnshire, 32 in North Lincolnshire and 28 in North East Lincolnshire.

On Wednesday, seven deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, two in North East Lincolnshire and one in North Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

On Wednesday, national cases increased by 12,718 to 4,071,185, deaths rose by 738 to 118,933 and first dose jabs have almost hit 16 million.

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In national news, healthy, young volunteers will be infected with coronavirus to test vaccines and treatments in the world's first COVID-19 "human challenge" study, which will take place in the UK.

The study, which has received ethics approval, will start in the next few weeks and recruit 90 people aged 18-30.

Every adult in the UK could receive both doses of a coronavirus vaccine by August or September "or maybe sooner if we need to", the head of the country's vaccine taskforce has told Sky News.

Clive Dix, who runs the body which identifies and buys vaccines on behalf of the UK government, said he was sure there would not be any supply problems.

Boris Johnson has said he will be focusing on data and not dates when it comes to the easing of England's coronavirus lockdown.

The prime minister said Professor Dame Angela McLean was "absolutely right" to tell a committee of MPs earlier that the relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions should hinge upon "data, not dates".