Bengal’s total active Covid-19 cases fell to 14,702 as the state on Wednesday logged 10,512 recoveries, 5,384 infections and 95 deaths.

This is the first time in 63 days after April 7 that the total active cases dropped below 15,000. The figure plummeted by 5,223 compared to Tuesday.

The recovery rate rose for the 39th consecutive day on Wednesday to reach an all-time high of 97.83 per cent, riding the consistently large number of recoveries. The rise was by 13 percentage points over five weeks. The previous high in the recovery rate was 97.68 per cent, reported 85 days ago on March 16.

“This is a huge morale-booster. We will get past 98 in a day or two and breach the coveted 99 per cent mark in recovery rate in a week. Bengal has all but defeated the second wave,” said a minister. The national recovery rate is 94.71 now.

The total number of active cases, which was at an all-time high of 1,32,181 on May 21, improved by nearly 89 per cent in the intervening 19 days.

The state now has a total of 14.42 lakh cases since the first infection was reported on March 17 last year. The total includes 14.11 lakh recoveries and 16,555 deaths.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate is 1.14 per cent, while the national rate is 1.23. Of the 95 deaths reported on Wednesday, 17 were in Calcutta and 20 in North 24-Parganas. Calcutta logged 547 infections and North 24-Parganas 996.

The total of active cases in the two districts, which was over 53,000, is less than 5,000 now, at 4,344.