Rutland has recorded 24 Covid-19 cases today, increasing the 7-day infection rate to its highest in around a month.

The 24 cases compares with 19 yesterday, 18 on Wednesday, 13 last Friday and 14 the Friday before.

This has pushed the county's 7-day infection rate to its highest in about 5 weeks. It now stands at 321.2 cases per 100,000 compared with 313.8 cases yesterday, 296.5 on Wednesday, 210 last Friday and 224.8 the Friday before.

The county now has recorded 2665 people having tested positive with the virus since the pandemic started- about one-in-16 of its population- better than England's one-in-ten of the population.

Rutland has gone another day without a Covid-related fatality, according to official government figures, making it more than a month since the county had one.

Public Health England figures say the last 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 82 cases today and no deaths.

This comes in a week which saw two deaths in the district yesterday, and one on Tuesday.

There was also one Covid-linked fatality last Friday, one the Monday before and one the weekend prior to that.

With fatalities also recorded on August 1 and August 3, the number of deaths with Covid in the district has been 8 in this month alone.

Before these latest fatalities, the previous Covid-related deaths in the district were reported on May 5 and March 25, giving us ten deaths in almost 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 278 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 194.1 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.

Today, there were 82 cases of Covid-19 recorded, compared with 77 yesterday and 78 on Wednesday, which is pushing the 7-day case rate towards a post-winter record.

This compares with 83 cases last Friday and 64 the Friday before that.

Today's weekly rate of 370.7 cases per 100,000 is up on the 358.9 cases per 100,000 yesterday, but close to a post-winter high of 374.2 recorded on Monday.

But it is up on the 338.6 last Friday and 317 the Friday before that.

With its fluctuations, South Kesteven now has a higher 7-day infection rate than both Lincolnshire's 334.6 and England's 332, whose growth has been slower but more consistent.

Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 11,203 positive tests - about one case for each 14 residents. Again, this is better than the England average, which is almost one case for every ten people.

The figures come amid much testing, currently running around 950,000 a day or 5.5 million over a week nationally.

Overall, there have been 2,780 new cases of Coronavirus confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire so far this week, as latest statistics show a national rise in cases across the board.

Government figures published on Friday afternoon showed 417 new cases in Lincolnshire and 112 in North East Lincolnshire and 90 in North Lincolnshire. The total weekly figure so far is just one case fewer than last Friday's 2,781 case total.

The data showed four new deaths of Lincolnshire residents, bringing the weekly tally to 15 compared to 12 last week.

NHS figures, meanwhile, showed one further deaths in a United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust facility — totalling nine deaths in Lincolnshire's hospitals so far this week, more than double last week's figure of four.

Nationally, cases increased by 38,046 to 6,666,399 while deaths rose by 100 to 132,243 on Friday.

England's R number has risen to between 1.0 and 1.1. The figure records the average number of people an infected person will pass the disease on to – in this instance, between 10-11 people.

The Office for National Statistics has also estimated that one in 80 people in the UK tested positive in the week up to August 20, five points lower than the previous week.

New surveys from the ONS have also found that more than 90% of UK adults have said they would have a booster jab if offered.

More than 80% have also said they still think measures including wearing a face covering and socially distancing from others not in their household will slow the spread of COVID.

The figures come as thousands look to head to music festivals and other big events this bank holiday weekend.

Those going to major events are being urged to be cautious after about 500 people from across the country tested positive after attending Bloodstock.

Campaigners elsewhere are warning that the risk of drug overdoses at events such as Creamfields, Reading and Leeds, and Lost Village, is higher this year due to a mix of factors including "quiet" COVID-19 lockdowns and supply chain issues.