Bengal on Sunday logged highest counts of daily Covid-19 cases and deaths at 2,739 and 49, respectively, as total number of patients went past 75,000, of whom around 53,000 had recovered from the pathogen.

The state on Sunday also recorded 2,213 recoveries and 21,072 tests — both the highest ever counts.

Prior to this, the most cases were 2,589, deaths 48 and tests 20,065 — all reported on Saturday. The previous maximum number of recoveries were 2,166, recorded on July 27.

“Over the past couple of weeks, it has been a strange spell of rise, of the bad as well as the good parameters. Therefore, overall, we aren’t poised too badly in the general scheme of things, when you consider the situation elsewhere in the country and the world right now,” said a minister.

In the two weeks, 33,029 new cases and 27,847 recoveries were recorded, besides 566 deaths and 2.31 lakh tests.

The recovery rate rose from a low of 58.56 per cent two weeks ago to 69.83. The national rate right now is 65.7.

“It’s been a mixed bag and there are several positive, heartening indicators,” said the minister.

The state’s total test count is over 9.34 lakh now, with 10,384 a million.

However, owing to the sharp spike in new cases, the positive confirmation rate is now past 8, at 8.08 per cent. Two weeks ago, it was 6.04.

Of the 2,739 new cases, nearly half were once again reported from Calcutta and North 24-Parganas alone. They have added nearly 18,000 new cases and around 15,000 recoveries in the two weeks.

Of the total 1,678 deaths reported, Calcutta alone accounted for 799, with 20 till 9am. North 24-Parganas reported a total of 368 deaths, 14 of them on Sunday.

The state government reported 1,458 deaths (86.9 per cent) as those with comorbidity “present”.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate improved to 2.22, compared to the national rate of 2.11 per cent. Calcutta’s mortality rate fell to 3.46.

“We have made major improvements with regard to recovery and mortality rates, deemed two of the most important parameters. Over the next few weeks, with a slew of measures of incisive intervention, we will achieve a quantum leap in the right direction,” said the minister.

The state reported 37.88 per cent occupancy for 11,552 beds earmarked for Covid-19 at 83 dedicated hospitals for the pandemic, besides 22.65 per cent for 6,908 beds at 106 safe homes.