Bengal logs 3,187 new Covid-19 cases, 69 more deaths

The state is eighth on the list of states with the most active cases in India

Passengers arrive through a special train during the ongoing COVID-induced lockdown, at Sealdah Station in Calcutta.: PTI Photo

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya   |   TT  |  Calcutta   | 17.06.21: Bengal on Wednesday reported a rise for the seventh consecutive day in its total of active Covid-19 cases. 

Active coronavirus cases in the state rose by 1,106 to 21,152 in all, as only 2,012 recoveries were logged on Wednesday, against the 3,187 new infections detected.

The state also recorded 69 deaths.

Bengal now has 2.55 per cent of the national total of active cases, having doubled the number in the span of a week. 

It is also eighth on the list of states with the most active cases in India. 

Bengal had fallen from sixth place to 13th place among states with the most active cases, in a matter of days, last week.

“Over the next five-seven days, we expect another boom in recoveries, which will end this renewed spell of spike,” said a minister.

“The daily count of new cases will also go further down, as the state government’s restrictions stay in place till the end of the month. We expect the total of active cases to fall to below 10,000 fairly soon,” the minister added.

The total of Bengal’s active cases had declined till June 9 by around 89 per cent, from the all-time high of 1,32,181 on May 21.

Total active cases were 14,702 on June 9 in Bengal. But over these past seven days, the figure has risen again by 44 per cent to  21,152 at present.

Bengal’s recovery rate, which began dropping on Friday by snapping a 39-day spell of rise, fell to 97.4 per cent on Wednesday. The national recovery rate is 95.88 now.

The daily confirmation rate, which had peaked in the second wave with nearly 33 per cent, however, fell to 5.14 per cent on Wednesday. 

A decreasing positive confirmation rate is indicative of reducing levels of Covid-19 spread.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate, with 17,118 deaths in all since the onset of the pandemic, is currently 1.16 per cent, while the national rate is 1.28.

Of the 69 deaths reported on Wednesday, 13 were from Calcutta and 17 from North 24-Parganas, the two worst affected districts. 

Among the day’s new Covid-19 infections, Calcutta logged 377 while North 24-Parganas reported 435.