Rutland has recorded just 14 cases of Covid-19 today, helping the 7-day infection rate drop back to its lowest in nearly a fortnight.

Today's 14 positive tests follows 9 yesterday, 22 on Tuesday, 26 last Thursday and 21 the Thursday before.

This gives the district a 7-day infection rate of 328.6 cases per 100,000 of population, down from 350.8 yesterday, 365.6 of Tuesday and 392.8 on Sunday- the highest since late July. Last Thursday, it was 353.3 and 298.9 two weeks ago.

The county now has recorded 3040 having tested positive with the virus since the pandemic started- about one-in-14 of its population- better than England's one-in-9 of the population.

Rutland has now exceeded seven weeks without a Covid-related fatality.

Public Health England figures say the last such death was on the weekend of July 25.

Since the pandemic started, 66 county residents have died within 28 days of testing positive. This is about one for every 600 residents, which compares with the national average of one-in-500 residents.

Prior to the county's latest fatality, the last recorded such death in England's smallest county was on Wednesday April 28. Before that it was Thursday March 25.

Meanwhile, in Lincolnshire,South Kesteven has recorded 40 cases of Covid-19 and no deaths today.

The number follows 54 positive tests yesterday, 44 on Tuesday, 57 last Thursday and 61 two weeks ago.

The current weekly infection rate of 231.8 cases per 100,000 people is the lowest since early August and about a third lower than a week ago.

It compares with 243 cases per 100,000 of population yesterday, 271.6 on Monday, 332.3 last Thursday and 350.5 two weeks ago.

With its fluctuations, South Kesteven now has a lower 7-day infection rate than Lincolnshire's 293.1 and lower than England's 297.2, both of which have been far more consistent than the district and are also heading back down.

Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 12,334 positive tests - about one case for each 12 residents. Again, this is better than the England average, which is about one case for every 9 people.

The figures come amid much testing, currently running around 1.1 million a day or 7.1 million over a week nationally.

There were no Covid-related deaths recorded today, but there was one yesterday, one on Monday, one on Monday, one last Thursday, one last Tuesday and one the weekend before.

The five September fatalities compare with ten in August.

Prior to the August and September deaths, South Kesteven reported such fatalities on May 5 and March 25, making it 15 Covid related deaths in over 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 285 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 199 deaths per 100,000, which is equivalent to one fatality for just over 500 residents.

The England average is one death for just under 500 residents.

Meanwhile, in Greater Lincolnshire today, there have been 464 cases of coronavirus confirmed, as the NHS begins delivering COVID booster jabs to the most vulnerable people.

As part of the next stage of the vaccination programme, hospital hubs have started jabbing frontline health and care workers and identifying other eligible patients for their coronavirus booster vaccine GP-led local vaccination services will follow in the coming days and full vaccination rollout will begin from next week in Lincolnshire.

The NHS will contact those who are eligible through a call or text from their local GP-led site or the National Booking Service.

Those who are eligible include:

• those living in residential care homes for older adults
• all adults aged 50 years or over
• frontline health and social care workers
• all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 (as set out in the green book), and adult carers

adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

However, some of those in the original nine priority groups will not be eligible for the top-up until the New Year.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the COVID vaccination programme said: "Alongside one of our busiest summers in the NHS, our hardworking staff have also been gearing up to deliver the autumn booster programme, to give further protection to healthcare and social care workers and those most at risk from the virus."

Latest statistics published by Public Health England show that around 112,000 lives were saved thanks to the vaccination programme.

Meanwhile, there have been 464 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday.

Government figures on Thursday showed 296 new cases in Lincolnshire, 75 in North East Lincolnshire and 93 in North Lincolnshire.

Three further deaths of Lincolnshire residents were also confirmed in the government figures.

Nationally, cases increased by 26,911 to 7,339,009 while deaths rose by 158 to 134,805.