There have been 449 new coronavirus cases and 23 COVID-related deaths across Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 227 new cases in Lincolnshire, 112 in North East Lincolnshire and 110 in North Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire cases have now passed 13,000.

It also registered seven deaths in Lincolnshire, three 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.

NHS England also reported four new hospital deaths on Wednesday. Three were at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and one at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust.

Among the districts, South Kesteven reported 28 cases today, giving a total of 1936. A statistical revision put the number of deaths down 1 to 64, after an increase of 3 yesterday.

On Wednesday, national cases increased by 19,609 to 1,430,341, while deaths rose by 529 to 53,274.

Meanwhile, four new COVID-19 test centres will open in Lincolnshire. They will be in Grantham, Skegness, Boston and Gainsborough.

Furthermore, a healthy 27-year-old father was nearly killed by the virus despite him having no underlying health conditions. Aaron Davenport became a new father in September and is now reunited with his son and girlfriend.

In national news, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has now been proven to be 95% effective. It will be submitted for authorisation in just a few days.

Government advisers have said they want "a Christmas as close to normal as possible" but warned tighter restrictions would be needed afterwards.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire for Wednesday, November 18

21,317 cases (up 449)

13,020 in Lincolnshire (up 227)

4,363 in North East Lincolnshire (up 112)

645 deaths (up 12)

420 from Lincolnshire (up 7)

106 from North East Lincolnshire (up two)

of which 410 hospital deaths (up four)

215 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up one)

1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)