Bengal on Sunday recorded the first rise in its total of active Covid-19 cases after a 97-day streak of fall.

For the first time after June 21, the state logged a rise, by nine, in the total of active cases, which rose to 7,683.

The state reported 748 new infections, 730 recoveries and nine deaths.

“There is no cause for great worry yet,” said a minister. “We have been on high alert in apprehension of the third wave, and we remain cautiously optimistic.”

Bengal now has 2.58 per cent of India’s active cases, and remains seventh among states with the most such cases.

Calcutta logged 139 new infections and North 24-Parganas 118, the only two of the state’s 23 districts with a three-digit figure of new infections in a day. Five districts reported a single-digit figure.

Calcutta reported one death and North 24-Parganas two. Sixteen Bengal districts reported zero deaths.

The state’s recovery rate remained 98.31 per cent, still fairly ahead of the national rate of 97.74 per cent.

The daily positive confirmation rate, which was nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 1.86 per cent on Sunday.

The state’s mortality rate is 1.2, while that of the nation is 1.33 per cent.

Bengal now has over 15.66 lakh Covid-19 cases, since the first was logged in March last year. The total includes nearly 15.4 lakh recoveries and 18,736 deaths.