Bengal on Tuesday reported 440 new Covid-19 infections, 451 recoveries and 12 deaths, causing a drop in the total of active cases by 23, to 7,451.

Calcutta reported 177 new infections, the only one of the state’s 23 districts with a three-digit figure of new cases found in a day, and three deaths. North 24-Parganas also reported three deaths.

Calcutta, North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia accounted for 339 or 77.05 per cent of the new infections detected on Tuesday.

Twelve districts reported a single-digit figure of new Covid cases detected in a day. Eighteen districts reported zero deaths.

New infections reported on Tuesday indicate people infected between December 12 and 16.

In the past 87 days since Bengal snapped out of a 97-day streak of constant fall in active cases ahead of the Puja season on September 26, the total rose on 36 days and fell on 49 days. Over these 87 days, there has been a net fall of 223 in the total.

The daily positive confirmation rate, nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 1.34 per cent on Tuesday.

The state’s recovery rate is 98.33 per cent, below the national rate of 98.4 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 nearly 16.28 lakh Covid-19 cases, since the first was logged in March last year. The total includes around 16.01 lakh recoveries and 19,688 deaths.