In pictures: Music parade launches Sonophilia Festival 2016

This week there have been 1,940 positive cases of COVID-19 and 116 deaths in Greater Lincolnshire, as the region moves towards tier 3 restrictions next week.

Some 396 coronavirus cases and 27 COVID-related deaths were reported in Greater Lincolnshire on Friday.

The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 286 new cases in Lincolnshire, 65 in North Lincolnshire and 45 in North East Lincolnshire, bringing the total number of cases in North East Lincolnshire to over 5,000 since the start of the pandemic.

It also registered 19 deaths in Lincolnshire, six in North Lincolnshire and two in North East Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals as well as residents in hospitals outside the county. Deaths have now surpassed 800 since the pandemic began in Greater Lincolnshire.

NHS England also reported 13 new hospital deaths on Friday. Seven were at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, five at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one in Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals. This takes the total number of hospital deaths in the county to 513.

On Friday, national cases increased by 16,022 to 1,589,301, while deaths rose by 521 to 57,551.

This week, the county was told it will enter tier 3 after the national lockdown, the toughest restrictions. Here’s what it means for Lincolnshire and what we can do to lower our tier.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister warned of a “New Year national lockdown” if people are too complacent.

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire health bosses are in discussions with the government about a new COVID-19 testing centre in Skegness. East Lindsey has the fourth highest infection rate in England. The exact location has not yet been confirmed for the testing centre.

This comes as an additional seven schools in Lincolnshire have positive cases of coronavirus on Friday. The county council said that it is working with 141 schools with COVID-19 infections.

In national news, the UK’s R number has fallen to between 0.9 and 1 according to scientists. This means for every 10 people with coronavirus, they will go on to infect between nine and 10 people, suggesting the rate of infection is slowing nationally.

In Lincolnshire, the infection rate has already dropped on Thursday’s figures.

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Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Friday, November 27

25,427 cases (up 396)

• 15,770 in Lincolnshire (up 286)
• 4,619 in North Lincolnshire (up 65)
• 5,038 in North East Lincolnshire (up 45)

825 deaths (up 27)

• 541 from Lincolnshire (up 19)
• 142 from North Lincolnshire (up six)
• 142 from North East Lincolnshire (up two)

of which 513 hospital deaths (up 13)

• 271 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up five)
• 11 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (up one)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 230 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up seven)

1,589,301 UK cases, 57,551 deaths

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.

Health bosses believe Lincolnshire is already in a much better position than the government’s tier 3 ranking would suggest.

It was confirmed on Thursday that all of Greater Lincolnshire, including North and North East Lincolnshire, would be put into the toughest COVID restrictions (tier 3) when the current lockdown ends on December 2. Here’s what it means.

Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health Professor Derek Ward said the government had used data from the peak of the county’s coronavirus infection between November 17-19 to make its decision, but that the latest figures already showed a massive improvement.

Professor Ward said people followed the rules, despite the peak in cases in the middle of November.

The government uses five key indicators make its decision and Professor Ward was confident the downward trend would continue.

Case detection rates in all age groups

Up to November 24, Lincolnshire’s infection rate was 232, compared to the England average of 209, said Professor Derek Ward.

Between November 17-19, the infection rate peaked at 308 — a difference of 76.

This is the figure that has been used the longest in determining the rate of coronavirus spread.

To improve this, Professor Ward said the usual messages of hands, face and space applied.

“It’s about trying to make sure people don’t catch COVID in the first place,” he said.

“So make sure you wash your hands for 20 seconds, make sure if you’re going into an enclosed space, or indeed, if you feel you’re walking through a busy street, that you’re covering the face, and keep at least two metres at all times from anybody outside your household.”

Case detection rates in the over 60s

For this more specific number, the current figure is 326 per 100,000 population, up from 281 in mid-November.

“The reason that’s important is because we know this is a disease that targets older people,” said Professor Ward.

“Older people are more likely to have a more severe form of the disease and they are therefore more likely to need NHS or hospital treatment, and more likely to die from it.”

In addition to hands, face and space, the key thing was for anyone who has symptoms to get a test “immediately”.

He said anecdotal evidence showed younger people might not get tested despite mild symptoms, but were then visiting relatives and possibly passing it on.

“Anybody who has any symptoms, no matter how mild, you must immediately isolate, don’t go for one last shop, don’t go for one last visit to your mum or dad.

“You can do a lot of stuff remotely, you can do it online, you can book shopping.

“There’s also support out there for anyone struggling,” he said.

The rate at which cases are rising or falling

This is a new indicator and health bosses did not have specific information to compare with government, however, Professor Ward said “overall our rates are clearly reducing.”

“‘It’s more a direction of travel than an actual figure,” said Professor Ward.

“Between November 17-19 we had the highest rates, and it’s been on a downward trajectory since then.”

He said he was expecting the trend to continue, especially considering the typical two-three week delay for the impact of the latest lockdown.

Positivity rate (positive cases as a percentage of tests taken)

Lincolnshire’s current positivity rate is 8.4%, down from around 12% at the most recent peak.

Around 25,000 tests have been carried out a week since early October, meaning around 2,100 positive tests a week compared to 3,000 previously.

However, health bosses do not want people to stop getting tests, in fact they want more to do so.

The criteria looks at percentage of positive tests rather than number carried out. Hence, if more people get tested and come back negative the positivity rate goes down.

“The key thing that I want the people to do is if they’ve got any symptoms, no matter how mild, isolate themselves, get themselves a test,” said Professor Ward.

“The reason [government] are interested in this is that it’s a good indicator of two things. One, are you doing enough tests and two, are you targeting them?

“It’s really just giving us an indication of are we doing enough tests. If it’s going up, and it’s going up quite quickly, that’s when there’s a concern that we’re seeing an increase in actual community based infections.

“It’s coming down in Lincolnshire.”

Pressure on the NHS

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust bosses have confirmed they currently have 233 COVID patients and are using 74% of their hospital capacity.

The number has been steadily rising over the past month or so — on October 23 it has some 80 patients.

A ULHT spokesperson: “To help keep the pressure off of Lincolnshire’s hospitals so we can continue to deliver the best care to our patients, we would ask the public to please follow the latest government guidelines.”

However, bosses say the key message is that the NHS remains open and that people should continue to attend if they need it or if they have an appoointment booked.

The trust has not yet had to close its COVID-free site in Grantham, which other areas have chosen to do.

Professor Ward said there was no intention to discourage people from using their facilities.

“If people need the NHS, it is there for them whether it’s a very life-threatening 999 condition, or whether you just need a bit of advice and support, in which case NHS 111 online is your first port of call.

“Everything is still still open and available. Just consider whether you need it and if you’re not sure, check online or give them a ring.”

In conclusion, what can people do differently to help?

“I’m not sure it is doing anything differently,” said Professor Ward.

“It’s more of the same because we are seeing the benefits of people in Lincolnshire sticking by the rules.

“We just want them to keep doing that — it comes back to the same messages hands, face, space, minimise travelling if you can, work from home and minimise your contact with other people.

“That’s how we’ll bring the rates right down and then hopefully, we’ll be in a different position in the middle of December.”

The new tier allocations will be reviewed every two weeks from December 2.

An impressive six bedroom, three storey house in Stamford that comes with a home gym has been put on the market for an eye-watering £2.5 million.

The property at 51 Casterton Road has a long driveway for maximum privacy and is just minutes from Stamford town centre.

It stands at three storeys high, has six bedrooms, all with en-suites, five bathrooms and even a state of the art home gym.

There is also a triple garage by the large driveway and a dual aspect drawing room that comes with a traditional log burner.

All of this won’t come cheap though, with estate agents King West valuing the property at £2.5 million, calculating at monthly repayments of £9,981.

It was sold in 2016 for £1.6 million, with almost £1,000,000 being added to that value in just four years.

Let’s take a look inside:

View the full listing on the Rightmove website.

A woman was found dead by Louth Canal on Friday morning, but the death is not being treated as suspicious.

Lincolnshire Police were called to the canal on Cowslip Lane, along with other emergency services, at 7.36am on November 27, where the body of a woman was found.

The woman is understood to be in her 50s and from the Louth area, according to Grimsby Live.

A police cordon was put in place in the area around Cowslip Lane between Louth and Keddington village.

A Lincolnshire Police spokeswoman said: “The body of a woman was found this morning. There are no suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, help is available through the Samaritans charity.

Find out more here, or call 116 123.

South Kesteven District Council leaders will approve a £100,000 spend on an event to unveil the new Margaret Thatcher statue in Grantham.

The £300,000 bronze statue of the Iron Lady was brought to the town by Grantham Museum, SKDC and a Public Memorials Appeal.

It was originally destined for display in London but it will now be on a 10ft plinth on St Peter’s Hill Green in the Lincolnshire town.

The £100,000 unveiling event, said documents, will be used to promote “inspirational women of South Kesteven” — including the first female police officer Edith Smith and Duke of Wellington friend and advisor Harriet Arbuthnot.

“The statue is expected to attract many visitors to the area which will increase Grantham and South Kesteven’s status as a destination for tourism with the associated benefits that brings,” said the report.

“An increase in visitor numbers to the area will boost the local economy and benefit our local shops and businesses.

“The interest from visitors to the area will support Grantham Museum and enable them to develop their permanent Margaret Thatcher exhibition which already attracts thousands of people each year.”

The costs of holding “an event of this scale” said officers were “balanced agains the potential benefit of commemorating one of the most famous people to have come from Grantham, and the opportunity for the statue and unveiling event to attract global attention”.

They said not holding an event would be a missed opportunity due to the attention expected.

Once unveiled the council will take on ownership and maintenance of the statue.

The statue was approved in February 2019, despite concerns she would be targeted by “politically-motivated” vandals.

Recommendations at the time said it should be placed on a “sufficiently high plinth” and in easy view, in a bid to avoid it being attacked.

According to reports the statue would be placed on a 3.2 metre high plinth, making it over 6.4 metres tall in total.

Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts) was born and raised in Grantham and attended Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, before gaining a scholarship to study at Oxford University.

Her father Alfred, a grocer, was mayor from 1945 to 1946. She entered the House of Lords in 1992. She was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

Plans to build the statue on Parliament Square, in London, were previously rejected by Westminster Council due to the fear of it being targeted by protestors.