West Bengal reports 997 fresh Covid-19 cases, 17 more fatalities

West Bengal's COVID-19 tally

rose to 15,11,205 on Saturday as 997 more people tested positive for the infection, while 17 fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 17,903, a bulletin issued by the health department said.

At least 1,336 more people were cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 14,77,998, it said.

The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in West Bengal now stands at 97.80 per cent.

The state now has 15,304 active cases.

North 24 Parganas reported five fresh COVID deaths, followed by Nadia at four and Kolkata at three.

The remaining deaths were registered in several other districts.

Though the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases has been declining in the state, four districts -- North 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur and Darjeeling -- with a daily average of 82 infections have become "places of concern" for the health department, an official said.

Since Friday, 52,541 samples were tested for COVID-19 in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, 2,08,752 people were inoculated during the day in the state, the official said.