580 infections, 566 recoveries and seven deaths in Bengal

Calcutta also recorded one death, while North 24-Parganas logged four

TT Special Correspondent   |   Calcutta   |  18.12.21 ; Bengal on Friday reported 580 new Covid-19 infections, 566 recoveries and seven deaths, increasing the total of active cases by seven, to 7,513.

Calcutta reported 172 new infections. Calcutta also recorded one death, while North 24-Parganas logged four.

Calcutta, North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia accounted for 400 or 68.97 per cent of the new infections detected on Friday. Seven districts reported a single-digit figure. Nineteen districts reported zero deaths.

In the past 83 days since Bengal snapped out of a 97-day streak of constant fall in the total of active cases ahead of the Durga Puja season on September 26, the total rose on 36 days and fell on 45 days. In these 83 days, there has been a net fall of 161 in the total of active cases.

Bengal’s daily positive confirmation rate, nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 1.44 per cent on Friday.

The state’s recovery rate is 98.33 per cent, below the national rate of 98.38 per cent.

The state’s mortality rate is 1.21 per cent, while that of the nation is 1.33 per cent.

Bengal now has nearly 16.26 lakh Covid-19 cases, since the first was logged in March last year. The total includes more than 15.98 lakh recoveries and 19,652 deaths.