Just two cases of Covid-19 were recorded across Rutland today, but they were enough to increase its 7-day infection rate again.

The county now has a 7-day case or infection rate of 57.6 cases per 100,000, based on the 23 cases recorded in the 7 days to yesterday.

The previous Monday saw 16 cases, with a low of 11 recorded on two of the three days before that.

Rutland's 7-day rate has now exceeded the England average of 56, but it is about half the 7-day rate for neighbouring South Kesteven.

Rutland has seen a grand total of 1618 cases to date- about one for every 25 residents. This compares with just over one-in-20 in South Kesteven.

The number of deaths in Rutland remained at 61, meaning one-in-700 will have died with the virus since the pandemic started, compared to an England average of one-in-500.

Meanwhile, in Lincolnshire, a 'spike' of Covid-19 cases in South Kesteven has seen the district's 7-day infection rate almost double in less than 3 weeks.

South Kesteven recorded 22 cases today (153 over the past week), giving it a 7-day rate of 107.4 cases per 100,000- it's highest in about a month.

South Kesteven now has reported 7311 cases since the start of the pandemic, which is just over 1 case for each 20 residents.

The number of deaths, however, remained at 265. Which means about one-in-600 residents have died with Covid-19, compared to an England average of one-in-500.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire, the last week of March has started with 136 coronavirus cases and two deaths as lockdown restrictions have started to ease nationally.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard on Monday recorded 89 new cases in Lincolnshire, 25 in North Lincolnshire and 22 in North East Lincolnshire.

Two deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, none in North East Lincolnshire and -1 in North Lincolnshire. Fluctuations in data can occur for a variety of reasons including corrected data, misdiagnoses or wrong addresses. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

On Monday, national cases increased by 4,654 to 4,337,696, while deaths rose by 23 to 126,615.

The 226 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths over the weekend means last week there were altogether 1,017 COVID cases and 20 deaths in Greater Lincolnshire, compared to 1,091 cases and 22 deaths the week before — a 7.2% drop in cases and 10% reduction in deaths.

The next phase of the Prime Minister's roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown has come into action today (Monday), with groups of six allowed to meet outdoors again.

From today (Monday), social contact is allowed in outdoor settings for groups of six people, or up to two households.

Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis courts and open-air swimming pools has reopened, and formally organised outdoor sports have restarted.