Bengal on Wednesday reported 4,069 new Covid-19 cases, 64 deaths and 3,596 recoveries, all the three figures the highest for a 24-hour period.

This is the 18th time in October that the maximum daily tally of the novel coronavirus patients was reset.

The state had logged the highest daily death toll of 64 three times before.

The total cases in the state now are over 3.33 lakh, which include 2.91 lakh recoveries and 6,244 deaths.

Since the number of cured patients were also high, Bengal saw a slight rise in the recovery rate for the first time in a couple of weeks, from 87.43 on Tuesday to 87.45 per cent on Wednesday.

On October 6, the rate had reached the state’s highest of 87.98, after which it took a tumble. The national rate, which had been far behind the

state rate for months, is now 88.82.

“Given how masses showed utter disregard for Covid-19 safety protocols over the past week or so, in the run-up to the Puja, things could have been worse. So, a daily rise of 4,000-odd is still not a cause of big worry,” said a Bengal minister.

“There has not been a corresponding surge in deaths and the recoveries have been rising, which are heartening indicators,” he added. “October, so far, has been the most difficult month for us in the pandemic.”

In the three weeks of October, the state has had over 76,000 new cases and 1,286 deaths, besides around 65,000 recoveries.

The total of active cases spiked from 26,000-odd to nearly 36,000. Bengal alone now has around 4.8 per cent of the active cases in the country.

The five high-incidence districts of Calcutta, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly — now part of the Centre’s high priority districts for intensive Covid-19 management measures — collectively reported a rise of nearly 45,000 patients in the three weeks.

“In those five districts, the total of active cases was 12,574 exactly a month ago. On Wednesday, it is 20,251,” said the minister.

Of the total 6,244 deaths reported, the city alone accounted for 2,038, with 19 till 9am. North 24-Parganas logged a total of 1,416 deaths, 19 of them on Wednesday.

The state government reported 5,276 deaths (84.5 per cent) as those with comorbidity “present”.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate is 1.87, behind the national rate of 1.51 per cent.

With the examination of 43,592 swab samples reported on Wednesday, the total tests went past 41 lakh mark, to reach 41.22 lakh, at 45,318 tests per million people.

The positive confirmation rate is 8.08 per cent now.

The state reported 37.31 per cent occupancy on 12,751 beds earmarked for Covid-19 at 93 dedicated hospitals on Wednesday. Besides, 3.59 lakh telemedicine consultations for the pandemic have been made till date.