Bengal on Wednesday reported the 17th day on the trot of a drop in its total active Covid-19 cases, which fell by 620 to 16,655, as the state reported 1,586 recoveries, 982 new infections and 16 deaths.

In a key parameter of case growth or percentage of growth of cases in the past week compared to the week before, Bengal is 22nd on the list of states with case growth falling by 53.8 per cent. Bengal has maintained a case growth of -40 to -60 for weeks. Daily positive confirmation rate, which was nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 2.08 on Wednesday, indicating shrinking Covid-19 spread.

Bengal’s recovery rate rose to 97.71 per cent while the national rate is 97.15.

The total of active cases had fallen till June 9 by around 89 per cent to 14,702 from 1,32,181 on May 21. But for 11 days till June 20, it rose by over 56 per cent, before again falling by nearly 28 per cent in these 17 days.

Worst-hit Calcutta and North 24-Parganas checked the day’s new cases to 85 and 94. Wednesday was the 10th straight day since the second wave when not one of Bengal’s 23 districts reported over 200 new cases. Twenty districts reported double-digit figures of new infections and North Dinajpur, Murshidabad and Purulia single-digit figures. West Midnapore, like Tuesday, was the only district on Wednesday with a three-digit figure.

Of the 16 deaths, two were reported from Calcutta and four from North 24-Parganas. Fourteen Bengal districts reported zero deaths on Wednesday and four others just one each.

The state’s mortality rate is 1.18 now, while that of the nation is 1.31 per cent.

Bengal now has a total of over 15.08 lakh Covid-19 cases, since the first was detected in March last year. It includes 14.73 lakh recoveries and 17,850 deaths.