Rutland recorded 21 cases of Covid-19 today, pushing the 7-day case rate back further down from its highest in 5 weeks.

This follows 15 cases yesterday, 22 on Tuesday, 19 on Monday, 33 over the weekend and 24 positive tests recorded on Friday.

The 7-day rate now stands at 298.9 cases per 100,000 of population, compared with 313.3yesterday, 338.5 on Tuesday, 318.7 on Monday, 326.1 on Sunday and 321.2 on Friday.

Last Thursay, the 7-day infection rate stood at 313.8 and it was at 214.9 the Wednesday before that.

The county now has recorded 2775 having tested positive with the virus since the pandemic started- about one-in-15 of its population- better than England's one-in-ten of the population.

Rutland has gone yet another day without a Covid-related fatality, according to official government figures, making it more than 5 weeks 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's 7-day infection rate has recorded a small dip after the district recorded 61 Covid-19 cases today.

This compares with 61 positive tests recorded yesterday, 62 on Tuesday, 68 on Monday and 118 over the weekend.

Last Thursday, 77 cases were recorded, compared with 59 the Thursday before and 78 the Thursday before that.

The 7-day rate has dropped from 351.2 cases per 100,000 of population yesterday, to 350.5 today. This compares with a peak of 370.7 last Friday.

Last Thursday, the rate was 358.8 and it was 336.5 the Thursday before that.

With its fluctuations, South Kesteven now has a higher 7-day infection rate than both Lincolnshire's 319.2 and England's 308, whose growth has been slower but more consistent, though the national figure peaked at 332 on Friday before declining since.

Overall, since the pandemic started, South Kesteven has recorded 11,584 positive tests - about one case for each 12 residents. Again, this is better than the England average, which is just over one case for every ten people.

The figures come amid much testing, currently running around 1 million a day or 5.9 million over a week nationally.

No deaths were recorded today, but there two covid-related death over the bank holiday weekend- the tenth fatality this month.

One on Bank Holiday Monday followed one recorded on Saturday-Sunday, two on Thursday, and one last Tuesday, making it five in a week.

There was also one Covid-linked fatality the previous Friday, one the Monday before the Friday 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 is now 10 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 12 deaths in about 5 months.

It means since the pandemic started, official government figures record 280 fatalities in South Kesteven within 28 days of a positive test for Covid-19.

The total amounts to 195.5 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.

Overall across Greater Lincolnshire, there have been 611 confirmed COVID cases today, as more than 81.6% of the county have now received their second dose of the vaccine.

Government figures showed 367 new cases in Lincolnshire, 119 in North East Lincolnshire and 125 in North Lincolnshire.

Two further deaths of North East Lincolnshire residents were also confirmed in the government figures.

NHS data, meanwhile, confirmed one further death in Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust's facilities.

Nationally, cases increased by 38,154 to 6,862,904 while deaths rose by 178 to 132,920.

Also nationally, figures today showed that 50% of all teens aged 16 and 17 had now had their first COVID jab – just four weeks after the programme was given the go ahead. In Lincolnshire this figure is 56%.

NHS staff have now delivered more than 75 million doses, since the NHS in England administered the first jab outside of clinical trials to Maggie Keenan in December 2020, with almost four in five adults now double vaccinated.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: "It is fantastic to see the enthusiasm of young people to get the jab and great news that more than half of 16 to 17s in England are now vaccinated with a first dose as they return to colleges and sixth forms.

"Thank you for playing your part in helping us live safely with this virus so we can continue to enjoy the freedoms we missed like seeing friends and family.

"Jab by jab we are building a wall of defence that has already saved more than 105,000 lives and prevented 143,000 hospitalisations in England alone. Do not delay – please come forward and get both of your vaccines as soon as you can."

The latest Public Health England weekly surveillance report has shown cases falling in all areas except the North East.

The PHE report said Covid-19 vaccines in England are estimated to have prevented more than 143,600 hospital admissions in those over 65, according to new figures from Public Health England.

Meanwhile, research by King's College London has suggested that being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 cuts the odds of developing long COVID by 50%.