Bengal on Friday reported a rise for the second consecutive day in total active Covid-19 cases, by 473 to 15,192 in all, with the day’s 4,321 recoveries, 4,883 new infections detected and 89 deaths.

Although Friday was the first instance of less than 5,000 new infections being detected in a day since April 13, 59 days ago, the renewed rise in the total of active cases since Thursday was a damper.

Sources in the state government, however, insisted it was an aberration, largely on account of a drop in recoveries over the two days, from over 10,000 daily to 9,491 in total.

Bengal’s recovery rate fell, for the first time in six weeks, to 97.8 per cent. The national recovery rate is 95.02.

“The recoveries will get back to what is now normal, soon. There is no cause for worry yet,” said a minister.

The total of active cases, at an all-time high of 1,32,181 on May 21, had dipped by around 89 per cent till Wednesday, to 14,702. On Thursday, the total in active cases rose by 17, and on Friday by 473.

Bengal now has 1.4 per cent of the national total of active cases, and is 13th among states with the most active cases.

The daily confirmation rate, which had peaked in the second wave with nearly 33 per cent, fell to 7.8 per cent on Friday.

The state now has a total of nearly 14.53 lakh cases, since the first was reported on March 17 last year, and includes 14.21 lakh recoveries, besides 16,731 deaths.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate is 1.15 per cent, while the national rate is 1.25. Of the 89 deaths reported on Friday, 20 each were from Calcutta and North 24-Parganas, the two worst-affected districts. Calcutta logged 422 new infections, North 24-Parganas 792.