Just one case of Covid-19 was recorded in Rutland yesterday, along with no deaths.

However, the single case meant the number of cases recorded over the past week increased to 12, compared with 11 in the week to Wednesday.

It means one case of the virus has been recorded for about every 3500 people in the district.

It also led to a small rise in the 7-day case rate to 30.1, which is about half of the England average of 58.3 cases per 100,000.

The grand total since the start of the pandemic is now 1583 cases, about one-in-25 residents.

The number of deaths remains at 160, equivalent to one-in-700 for each Rutland resident, which compares with the England average of about one-in-500.

Today, Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns has warned of an outbreak in Melton affecting under 40s.

The UK government Covid-19 tracker says that in the 7-days to yesterday, the district has recorded 56 cases, giving it a 7-day rate of 109.4 cases per 100,000- more than three times the Rutland 7-day rate.

The outbreak is currently isolated to Melton Town and the MP says there is no evidence to link this to children returning to schools.

Anyone under 40 years old is encouraged to get tested if they cannot work from home or are in regular contact with a child or young person in education, even if they do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.

It is easy to book a free test through Leicestershire County Council's website.

Mrs Kearns said today: "It's troubling to see an increase in cases in Melton Town but my message is simple: if you are under 40 years old and can't work from home, or have regular contact with children or young people in education, it is your duty to get tested. Even if you are not currently experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 it's quick and easy."

Meanwhile in Lincolnshire, the 7-day case rate in South Kesteven has edged up a little but the district has gone without a death today.

The latest government figures show South Kesteven recorded 104 cases in the week to today, compared with 103 yesterday about about 80 a week ago.

This gives a 7-day case rate of 73 cases per 100,000, which compares with the England average of 58.3 and comes amid a backdrop of a massive increase in testing nationally.

South Kesteven now has a grand total of 7074 recorded cases, which amounts to about one for every 20 residents.

The number of deaths remained at 264- about one for every 600 of the district population. This is better than the England average of about one for every 500.

Meanwhile, there have been 187 new coronavirus cases and three COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 121 new cases in Lincolnshire, 43 in North Lincolnshire and 23 in North East Lincolnshire.

Two deaths were registered in 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 6,303 to 4,280,882, while deaths rose by 95 to 125,926.

It comes as national media report a slowdown in vaccine supply across the country from the end of March.

The blame has been placed on having to retest the stability of 1.7 million doses, alongside a delay in a scheduled delivery from the Serum Institute in India.

The UK's medicine regulators have also completed their review into the AstraZeneca vaccine and confirmed there is no evidence it causes blood clots.

Several EU countries have banned or suspended the use of the vaccine while investigations are carried out.

In a press conference on Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the reviews which found that "the benefits of the vaccine in preventing COVID far outweigh any risks".

He urged people to continue to get their vaccine when asked to do so and pointed to recent reviews that found a single dose of either vaccine provides 60% protection against getting COVID and reduces the chances of hospitalisation by 80%, and the risk of death by 85%.

He said there was no delay to the next steps of the roadmap despite delays and a potential shortage of the vaccine supply, with the government continuing to desire to offer a dose to every adult by the end of July.