Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough now have the lowest East Midlands Covid rates

The three lowest Covid rates in the East Midlands are all in districts in the north of Northamptonshire, latest figures have revealed.

Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough all have seven-day case rates which are far lower than the national average.

And even in East Northamptonshire - which currently has the highest rate in the county - the rate is half the size of England's seven-day average of 149 cases per 100,000 people.

Rates are climbing in the county, but not at the same speed as in other areas which have seen the Delta variant, first seen in India, spread rapidly between residents.

Corby's current seven-day case rate, up to and including yesterday's recorded cases, is 22 per 100,000 people, the lowest in the East Midlands.

It's a remarkable turnaround for the town, who held the undesirable position of having the highest rate in England for much of the early part of 2021.

Kettering has the second lowest rate with 23 and Wellingborough has the third lowest rate with 44, although it did jump by 10 after 13 positive cases were added in the town yesterday.

Elsewhere in the county East Northamptonshire has a case rate of 79. Some of its cases may include those from an outbreak at Oundle School earlier this month.

The highest seven-day rate in the country is currently in Hyndburn in Lancashire, with 575 cases per 100,000 people.

Latest official figures show 497,749 Northamptonshire residents had received at least one Covid vaccine dose by Saturday.

Of those, 358,841 have had both doses - more than 54 per cent of all the county's adults.

Northamptonshire's public health director, Lucy Wightman, said the proportion of younger people testing positive underlined the need to speed up the vaccine rollout.

She said: "Getting fully vaccinated is the single most important thing we can do to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities against coronavirus, so it’s vital that everyone who is eligible should come forward for both doses as soon as they are invited.

“When people are outside and physically distanced from each other, the particles containing the virus that causes Covid-19 are blown away which makes it less likely that they will be breathed in by another person but it is still important to keep a safe distance from people you don’t live with.

“If you do meet inside, also keep your distance and make sure the space is well ventilated. Bringing fresh air into a room and removing older stale air reduces the chance of spreading Covid-19.

“If you are going to the cinema, out for the day or evening, meeting a group of friends and family or playing a team sport, you need to take a lateral flow test beforehand.

"We are all still in this together, so we need to get tested twice a week and not let each other down. If we leave the house and mix with others, then we need to make sure we are not unwittingly spreading the virus."

- Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms - a new, continuous cough, high temperature, or loss or change in sense of taste - should immediately self-isolate and book a PCR test online HERE or by calling 119.

- Lateral flow testing is available at sites across the county or you can click and collect kits for testing at home.

- Anyone aged 18 or over is eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination — book online HERE any time or call 119 free between 7am and 11pm, seven days a week. You can turn up without an appointment at Moulton Park Vaccination Centre any day between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.