Bengal on Thursday reported the first rise, albeit by 17, in its total of active Covid-19 cases since May 21, 20 days ago, as only 5,170 recoveries were logged, compared to 5,274 new infections detected.

The state also recorded 87 deaths.

Total active cases, peaking at 1,32,181 on May 21, had fallen by around 89 per cent till Wednesday, before Thursday’s minor rise. Bengal has a total of 14,719 active cases now.

“There have been enough positive indicators for weeks now for us to assume that this mini spike is an aberration and that we will stay on course to completing the turnaround after the second wave peak,” said a minister.

Recovery rate was static, for the first time after a 39-day spell of rise, at 97.83 per cent, also the all-time high this pandemic. The national recovery rate too remained 94.71.

Bengal has 1.25 per cent of the national total of active cases, and was 13th among states with the most active cases.

Daily confirmation rate, which had peaked in the second wave at nearly 33 per cent, fell to 7.96 per cent on Thursday. The state now has a total of 14.48 lakh cases, since the first was reported on March 17 last year. It includes 14.16 lakh recoveries, and 16,642 deaths.

Bengal’s mortality rate is 1.14 per cent, while the nation’s is 1.23. Of the 87 deaths reported on Thursday, 24 each were from Calcutta and North 24-Parganas.

While Calcutta logged 485 new infections, North 24-Parganas reported 966.

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