Bengal reports 58th consecutive day of drop in its total active Covid-19 cases

The state fell from the third to the fifth place in the list of states with most active cases

34 deaths were reported on Wednesday included six from Calcutta. : Telegraph file picture

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya   |   TT   |   Calcutta   |    24.12.20  :  Bengal on Wednesday reported the 58th consecutive day of drop in its total of active Covid-19 cases after Durga Puja, which improved by nearly 58 per cent to 15,689.

Bengal fell from the third to the fifth place in the list of states with the most active cases. On Wednesday, the state logged 2,153 recoveries, 1,628 infections and 34 deaths.

But chief minister Mamata Banerjee advised caution. “We have to resume going out, gradually, of course. But always while adhering to Covid-19 safety protocol,” she said.

“I have heard that Europe is being totally locked down again. Dengue, for instance, changes character. Likewise, Covid-19 is also apparently changing character. As a result, a new kind of the virus, which is very strong, is being seen,” she added.

Mamata referred to the suspension of flight operations between India and the UK, and said all such developments have to be factored in.

The recovery rate, which has been in an unbroken spell of rise for 62 consecutive days, has risen in this period from the 87.44 per cent of October 22 to 95.35. The national rate now is 95.68 per cent.

“Bengal now has over 95 per cent recovery rate… which is very good. But in winters, common cold is a bit more common…. We also tend to bathe less, wash hands less, because of the cold. Winter clothes are not washed as regularly. But what needs to be done, must be done. Sanitise yourselves, your clothes, everything. Masks, remember, absolutely must,” said the chief minister.

“If you take care of yourselves and your families, Covid-19 can be defeated. We have been doing exceptionally well so far,” she added.

Bengal’s positive confirmation rate is 7.95 per cent now, having improved fairly steadily from the 8.27 of November 20.

In the 58 days since Puja, the state has recorded over 2.06 lakh recoveries, outweighing the 1.87 lakh cases found.

The state now has a total of over 5.41 lakh Covid-19 cases, including over 5.16 lakh recoveries and 9,473 deaths.

With 41,067 tests on Wednesday, the state’s total test count rose to 68.16 lakh, at 75,744 tests per million people.

The 34 deaths reported on Wednesday included six from the city.

Of the total deaths, 7,944, or 83.9 per cent, were attributed to co-morbidities by the state government.

The state’s mortality rate is now 1.74, compared to the 1.44 per cent nationally.