Twenty-eight Covid-19 cases in Rutland over the weekend has prompted a further drop in the county's 7-day infection rate- which is now heading back towards the national average.

The 28 positive tests compares with 43 last weekend and 29 the weekend before.

The current Rutland 7-day case rate is now 291.5 cases per 100,000 of population, compared with 301.4 on Friday, 303.9 on Thursday, and a recent peak of 313.1 last Wednesday.

Last Sunday saw a recent low of 242.9 cases per 100,000, compared with a peak of 388.2 the Sunday before that.

England's smallest county also continues to record no fatalities, after last weekend saw its first death since April.

Whilst the Rutland 7-day rate has fluctuated a little, the England average has steadily risen in recent weeks until last Friday's peak of 540 almost a fortnight ago, which has since fallen to 282.1 on Friday, though it crept up a little to 283.9 yesterday.

However, there has been a large increase in testing recently, with around a million tests a day and 7 million over a past week, though in recent days it has fallen to 825,000 a day and 5.3M over a week.

Rutland has now recorded 2367 cases recorded since the start of the pandemic- about one case for every 18 residents. This compares with the England average of about one-in-11.

The number of deaths is now 66, about one for every 600 residents, which compares with the national average of one-in-500 residents.

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

South Kesteven has recorded 138 cases of Covid-19 over the weekend.

The number has further increased the district's 7-day infection rate to its highest in nearly 2 weeks.

The 138 positive tests compares with 85 on Friday, 58 on Thursday, 64 on Wednesday and 41 on Tuesday.

It also compares with last weekend's 103 positive tests and 91 the weekend before.

The 7-day rate for South Kesteven is now 259.7 cases per 100,000, compared with 248.6 on Friday, 207.8 last Sunday and 336.3 the Sunday before.

This compares with the England average of 283.9, which has increased slightly from 282.9 on Friday- its first rise in weeks.

The figures come amid much testing, currently running around 825,000 a day or 5.3 million over a week.

Overall, there have been 9841 cases in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic- equivalent to about one for about 15 residents in the district, which compares to the England average of one-in-11.

The number of fatalities stands at 272, after increasing one on Tuesday, which followed on from a further fatality last weekend.

Prior to those cases, the only other recent cases of people dying with Covid in South Kesteven were on May 5 and March 25.

This means the district has recorded 4 deaths in just over 4 months.

Meanwhile, in Lincolnshire, the number of weekly COVID cases has risen week-on-week in Lincolnshire, with local bosses hoping new measures will help tackle Lincoln's number one spot in the UK infections charts.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard over the weekend reported 794 new cases in Lincolnshire, 223 in North East Lincolnshire and 189 in North Lincolnshire. The total weekly 4,149 figure is 12% higher than the 3,708 cases last week.

Government figures also showed two further updates to their deaths data in Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire, bringing the total for the week to nine. NHS figures do not update over the weekend, leaving the weekly tally across Greater Lincolnshire's hospitals to seven.

Nationally, cases increased 27,429 to 6,069,362 while deaths rose 39 to a total of 130,320 over the weekend.

Lincoln stayed top of the national rankings for infection rates over the weekend, ending on Sunday with an infection rate of 732.6. The England average is 283.9.

New measures are being brought in by local health bosses to try to tackle the coronavirus issues in the city – including a new mobile testing van which will be on the newly-revamped Cornhill from 10am-3pm Monday to Friday this week.

Elsewhere this weekend there was a national warning from the British Heart Foundation that waiting lists for vital heart care could get longer.

The charity said it could rise by 40% by next Spring and told news outlets that they were already "far too long" pre-pandemic.

A-level students are due to get their results this week, and exams watchdog Ofqual has already said students were treated fairly in their gradings.

Simon Lebus, the head of the organisation, said teacher assessments gave a "much more accurate reflection" of the pupils abilities.

The competitions watchdog has been asked to investigate "excessive" pricing and "exploitative practices" for PCR COVID tests by the health secretary Sajid Javid.

Some reports have suggested tests have been offered for more than £500, test results not being sent out and damaged PCR kits.