India records 300,000 COVID-19 deaths as pandemic rages

The number of deaths linked to COVID-19 in India has moved past the 300,000 mark as the country continues to grapple with the pandemic.

Experts warn that the real number of fatalities might be much higher as many deaths are not officially recorded.

BBC News reports India has recorded 26 million cases - second only to the US - and is now the epicentre of the global pandemic.

The country is also only the third in the world to record more than 300,000 deaths - behind the US and Brazil.

It took less than a month to record its last 100,000 deaths.

A deadly second wave in recent weeks has overwhelmed the country's healthcare system, with hospitals struggling to cope with the influx of patients and with critical drugs and oxygen running out.

Nearly half of India's virus deaths occurred in the last three months.

In the last 26 days alone, the country has recorded 102,533 COVID-19 deaths.

[Source: BBC]