COVID infection rates in Lincolnshire continue to rise

Greater Lincolnshire has seen its coronavirus infection rates bounce up again as government bosses come under pressure around a leaked Christmas party at Downing Street.

Greater Lincolnshire continues to sit below the national average in terms of infection rates for the past seven days, with a figure of 474.6 per 100,000. The England national rate is 483.7.

Health bosses nationally are trying to celebrate one year of COVID jabs, however, ministers are being dogged over whether government leaders and staff complied with COVID rules just days after restrictions were brought in last year.

The latest COVID stats for Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday are:

• 673 new cases of coronavirus with 473 in Lincolnshire, 102 in North East Lincolnshire and 98 in North Lincolnshire.
• Five further deaths were recorded in the government figures including four Lincolnshire residents and one North East Lincolnshire resident
• Three hospital deaths were recorded in the latest figures with one patient at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and two at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust.

The daily figure is 9.08% higher than last Tuesday’s 673 cases. Nationally, 45,691 new COVID cases were confirmed while 180 deaths were also reported.

Greater Lincolnshire continues to sit below the national average for infection rates in the past seven days, with a figure of 474.6 per 100,000. The England national rate is 483.7.

The highest infected age group in Lincolnshire are 10-14-year-olds with an average rate of 1,400.7, however in both North and North East Lincolnshire it is the 5-9-year-olds with rates of 981.3 and 1,323.8 respectively.

North East Lincolnshire is currently the highest ranking authority in the region, sitting 81st nationally with a rating of 623.1 per 100,000 population. It is followed by North and South Kesteven with rates of 533.2 and 518.1 respectively.

Out of all the Lower Tier Local Authorities, only two have seen decreases in their infection rates in the past week – South Kesteven and Lincoln City. The latter sitting 225th highest nationally with a rate of 442.8.

Both Lincoln and SKDC are also two of four authorities to move down the national rankings, with the rest climbing the table and indicating, with rising numbers, that they are seeing increases in cases at higher rates than elsewhere in the county.

The other two authorities to move down the table are North Lincolnshire (423.2) and South Holland District Council (398.5) – but both also saw an increase in their rates.

Greater Lincolnshire’s latest infection rates up to December 7. | Data: gov.uk

On Tuesday, the first case of Omicron in Lincolnshire was confirmed, with health bosses saying the Lincolnshire resident was one of two people working in a Boston location to have had it. UK Health Security Agency was investigating.

Since then no further cases have been confirmed in the county, but bosses expect the variant to spread quickly among the populace.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has confirmed it currently has 39 patients with COVID-19 in our hospitals, including nine in ICU. However, it could not say if any were the new variant.

But government bosses, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will today face questions over whether a Downing Street Christmas Party took place in December 2020.

It follows leaks, including a video of then press secretary Allegra Stratton joking about the party, in the national media.

Downing Street continues to insist no party took place, however, pressure and anger is growing and this morning a number of ministers pulled out of interviews and others denying knowledge of the events.