Bengal, after two days of a rise in active Covid-19 cases since Sunday, recorded a fall again on Wednesday.

The total of active cases fell by six to 7,580 on Wednesday, as the state reported 748 new infections, 740 recoveries and 14 deaths.

Bengal now has 2.74 per cent of India’s active cases, and remains seventh among states with the most such cases.

Calcutta logged 139 new infections and North 24-Parganas 123, the only two of the state’s 23 districts to report a three-digit figure of new infections in a day. Seven districts reported a single-digit figure.

Calcutta reported four deaths and North 24-Parganas five. Seventeen Bengal districts reported zero deaths on Wednesday.

The state’s recovery rate remained 98.32 per cent, ahead of the national rate of 97.81 per cent. The daily positive confirmation rate, nearly 33 per cent at the peak of the second wave, was 1.73 per cent on Wednesday. The state’s mortality rate is 1.2 per cent, while that of the nation is 1.33 per cent.

“Some incisive measures are being put in place over the next few days so that our grip on the outbreak remains firm,” said a minister. “The situation must not get out of hand over the festive month ahead.”

Bengal now has over 15.68 lakh Covid-19 cases since the first was logged in March last year, which includes nearly 15.42 lakh recoveries and 18,778 deaths.