Rutland has recorded two Covid-19 cases over the weekend, putting its 7-day case rate to its lowest since last summer.

The UK government's Covid-19 tracker says the county has recorded 3 cases over the past week, giving it a rate of 7.5 cases per 100,000.

This is less than a third of the England average of 25.7 cases per 100,000.

The weekend's 2 cases compares with none last weekend and two the weekend before.

Rutland has 1687 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 62- 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.

Meanwhile, in Lincolnshire, South Kesteven recorded six cases of Covid-19 over the weekend, compared with five last weekend and four the weekend before.

The 7-day infection rate for the district fell from 22.5 cases per 100,000 to 20.4 cases, based on 29 cases recorded in the 7 days to yesterday.

The 7-day infection rate of 20.4 compares with the England average of 25.7, which has been creeping up slightly in recent weeks after a substantial fall.

Whilst the district figures fluctuate, the latest figures remain among the lowest since last year and less than a twentieth of figures earlier in the year when the weekly rate exceeded 400 cases per 100,000.

The grand total of 7646 cases in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic is equivalent to just over one case per 20 residents. The national average is about one-in-15.

There were no deaths recorded in the district but the first fatality in nearly 6 weeks last weekend puts the district's death tally on 267, equivalent to about one-in-600 residents, which is better than the England average of one-in-500 residents.

Overall, across Greater Lincolnshire, there were 189 coronavirus cases recorded last week and no COVID-related deaths — just two more cases compared to the previous week and two fewer deaths.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard over the weekend recorded 29 new cases in Lincolnshire, eight in North Lincolnshire and two in North East Lincolnshire.

No coronavirus deaths were reported in Greater Lincolnshire, both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

National cases have increased to 4,484,056 while deaths rose to 127,781.

In national news, more scientists are urging the government to consider delaying the June 21 lockdown relaxations.

Professor Ravi Gupta, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) which advises the government, told BBC Radio 4's today programme that there were early signs the UK is heading towards a third wave.

He was backed in his caution by Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, who told ITV's Good Morning Britain that more understanding and a clearer picture of the pandemic was needed.

However, Professor Angus Dalgleish told the programme there could not be "altering every time we get a new variant".

'We cannot keep altering every time we get a new variant.'

Professor Angus Dalgleish says the lifting of restrictions needs to go ahead and emphasis needs to be put on quarantine when necessary rather than broader restrictions.