Bengal on Wednesday reported 2,936 new Covid-19 cases and 54 deaths from the disease, besides 2,725 recoveries and 27,712 tests.
The total number of patients in the state went past 1.04 lakh, of which over 76,000 were recoveries.
The state’s recovery rate now is 72.96, which went up from 67.6 per cent in two weeks. The national rate now is 70.56.
“Various measures, including some days of total lockdown put in place to get a grip on the outbreak, are beginning to yield results,” said a Bengal minister, adding that in two weeks since July 29, there were 39,000-odd new cases, but also 32,000-plus recoveries.
“That is over 82 per cent. In the two-week period prior to this (July 15-29), there were 31,000 new cases and 23,000 recoveries, which was 74 per cent. The next two weeks will produce a much larger number of recoveries, in comparison to new cases,” he added.
After two consecutive days of rise in recoveries lowering the number of active cases from the previous day, Bengal did see a spike in the total of active cases, to 26,003 on Wednesday, but by only 157.
“Of the two biggest high-incidence districts, which contributed half the state’s Covid-19 cases, North 24-Parganas saw a fall in the total active case count for three successive days and improved from 5,774 on Sunday to 5,540 today (Wednesday),” said the minister.
“The other one, Calcutta, saw a fall over two days and a rise of only 20 on Wednesday. The city’s total active cases improved from 7,041 on Sunday to 6,635 on Wednesday. This is remarkable,” he added.
The numbers indicate improvement in Howrah and Hooghly as well, with South 24-Parganas being the last remaining of the five most high-incidence districts yet to show signs of a turnaround.
The 27,712 tests recorded on Wednesday were another 24-hour high for the state, bettering the 27,015 of Tuesday.
The total test count is almost 11.87 lakh now, at 13,188 per million people.
The state reported 2,203 deaths, of which 999 were from Calcutta, including 19 recorded in 24 hours till 9am on Wednesday, and 512 from North 24-Parganas.
Of the total, the government reported 1,958, or 88.9 per cent, as deaths with comorbidity “present”. In two weeks, there have been 713 reported deaths of Covid-19 infected people, of which 676 were comorbid, according to the government.
Bengal’s overall mortality rate now is 2.11, from 2.28 per cent two weeks ago. The national rate now is 1.96.
Owing to the spike in new cases, the positive confirmation rate is now 8.79 per cent, which was 7.62 even two weeks ago.
The state reported that 36.57 per cent of the total 11,775 beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients at 83 dedicated hospitals were occupied as on Wednesday.
Telemedicine consultation for the pandemic has been provided to nearly 63,000 people, including 3,625 in the past 24 hours.