Bengal on Wednesday reported 2,294 new Covid-19 cases, which took the total number of patients past 65,000, of whom 44,000 had already recovered.

The toll from Covid-19 reached 1,490 as the state recorded 41 deaths during 24 hours till 9am on Wednesday. The day’s recovery count was 2,094.

Bengal also logged 17,144 tests on Wednesday, which was a new 24-hour record. The previous record was Tuesday’s 17,021.

The state has till now conducted over 8.56 lakh tests, which is 9,515 tests per million. Bengal remains on track to get past the 9 lakh milestone on Saturday, covering the latest lakh in just six days.

The positive confirmation rate — the percentage of people found infected among those tested — deteriorated drastically in a month from 3.74 to 7.62 per cent because of the rising infections.

Of the 2,294 fresh cases, over 54 per cent were reported from Calcutta and North 24-Parganas, currently the biggest challenges for the administration in containing the outbreak. The two populous, urban districts account for 61 per cent of total coronavirus patients in the state. Calcutta and North 24-Parganas have also 11,051 of the 19,652 total active cases.

“These two are among the most densely populated districts in India. If we can solve the problem in the two high-risk districts, the rest of the state will be taken care of with relative ease,” said a Bengal minister.

“But the good thing is that Calcutta and North 24-Parganas have also logged 22,047 recoveries, half the state’s total,” he added.

Bengal’s recovery rate is at an all-time high of 67.6 per cent, ahead of the national rate of 64.41.

Of the total 1,490 deaths reported, Calcutta alone accounted for 723, with 17 till 9am. North 24-Parganas recorded a total of 315 deaths, nine of them on Wednesday.

The state government reported 1,282 deaths (86 per cent) as those with comorbidity “present”. In a month, there have been 837 deaths, of which 789 (over 94 per cent) were reported as comorbid.

Bengal’s overall mortality rate improved to 2.28, from 3.64 per cent a month ago. Calcutta’s mortality rate fell to 3.57 from 6.46 in one month. The current national mortality rate is 2.21.

Of 11,299 beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients at 83 dedicated hospitals in Bengal, 40.11 per cent are occupied. Besides, 20.58 per cent of 6,908 beds at 106 safe homes are also occupied.