Rutland has highest seven-day infection rate in England following Stocken Prison outbreak and South Kesteven's R-rate is above national average

Rutland currently has the highest seven-day infection rate in England, and South Kesteven's R-rate remains above the national average.

Figures from Public Health England released this afternoon (February 10) show that in the past week a further 297 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in South Kesteven.

A total of 32 new cases relate to people living in Stamford with 44 new cases in Bourne and nine in Market Deeping.

The rise in cases brings the seven-day infection rate up to 208.5 compared with the national 'R-rate' of 190.6.

In the past week, 20 deaths within 28 days of a positive test have been recorded in South Kesteven with a total of 228 people having died in the district from Covid.

In Rutland, a further 207 people have tested positive for the virus since Wednesday last week with the seven-day infection rate standing at 518.4.

However, Alicia Kearns MP for Rutland says the county's high Covid rate is down to an outbreak at Stocken Prison.

Yesterday, Mrs Kearns released a statement which said about half of all cases in the county could be attributed to the prison in Stretton.

About 34 in every 1,000 people in the county had, or currently have, coronavirus with 1,362 confirmed cases throughout the whole pandemic.

Four more coronavirus deaths have been recorded in Rutland bringing the total to 48.

The figures do not include those who may have caught the virus and self-diagnosed.