Bengal on Saturday reported 725 new Covid-19 infections, 775 recoveries and 12 deaths, resulting in a fall by 62 in its total active cases to 8,045.

Over 56 days, since Bengal snapped out of a 97day fall in active cases or Covid patients under treatment, on September 26, there has been a net rise of 371 in the state’s total of active cases, from 7,674.

A minister said new infections reported on Saturday indicated people infected between November 11 (a week after Kali Puja) and November 15 (two days after Jagaddhatri Puja).

Calcutta logged 201 new infections and North 24-Parganas 125 on Saturday. Both districts logged three deaths each. These were also the only two of the state’s 23 districts with a three digit figure of new cases detected in a day. Nine districts reported single digit figures. Seventeen districts reported zero deaths.

Calcutta, North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia accounted for 534, or 73.66 per cent, of the new infections detected on Saturday.

The state’s recovery rate is 98.3 per cent, while that of the nation is 98.28. Its daily positi¬ve confirmation rate, nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 2.01 per cent on Saturday.

The state’s mortality rate is 1.2 per cent, while that of the nation is 1.33 per cent.

Bengal now has over 16.09 lakh Covid19 cases, since the first was logged in March last year. The total includes over 15.81 lakh recoveries and 19,376 deaths.