Bengal on Thursday reported 657 new Covid-19 infections, 667 recoveries and a dozen deaths, resulting in a drop by 22 in its total of active cases to 7,690.

A minister said new infections reported on Thursday meant those infected between November 23 and 27.

Calcutta reported 153 fresh cases and three deaths. North 24 Parganas reported 122 fresh cases and five deaths. These were the only two districts with a threedigit figure of new cases found in a day.

Seven districts reported a single digit figure. Calcutta, North and South 24Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia accounted for 438 or 66.67 per cent of the new infections detected on Thursday.

Seventeen districts reported zero deaths.

Over the 68 days since Bengal snapped out of a 97day fall in active cases or Covid patients under treatment, there has been a net rise of 16 in that total.

Bengal’s daily positive confirmation rate, which was nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 1.76 per cent on Thursday. The state’s recovery rate is 98.32 per cent, below the national rate of 98.35 per cent. The state’s mortality rate is 1.21 per cent, while that of the nation is 1.34 per cent.

Bengal now has over 16.17 lakh Covid19 cases, since the first was logged in March last year. The total includes more than 15.9 lakh recoveries and 19,510 deaths.