Covid-related deaths worldwide surpassed 3 million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the latest global resurgence of coronavirus infections is challenging vaccination efforts across the globe.

Worldwide deaths from the virus are increasing once again, especially in India and Brazil. Health officials blame more infectious variants that were first detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa, along with public fatigue with lockdowns and other restrictions.

According to a Reuters tally, it took more than a year for the global COVID-19 death toll to hit 2 million. The next one million deaths were added in almost 3 months.

Brazil is leading the world in the daily average number of new deaths reported and accounts for 1 in every 4 deaths worldwide each day, according to Reuters.

The World Health Organization acknowledged the nation’s dire condition due to coronavirus, saying the country is in a very critical condition with an overwhelmed healthcare system.

“Indeed there is a very serious situation going on in Brazil right now, where we have a number of states in critical condition,” WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove told a briefing last Thursday, adding that many hospital intensive care units are more than 90% full.

India reported a record jump in coronavirus cases on Monday, becoming the second nation after the United States to post over 100,000 new cases in a day.

India’s worst-affected state, Maharashtra on Monday began closing bars, restaurants, shopping malls, cinemas and places of worship, as hospitals are being overwhelmed by patients.

The European region, which includes 51 countries, has the highest total number of deaths at around 1.1 million.

Five European countries including the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Italy and Germany constitute about 60% of Europe’s total coronavirus-related deaths.

The United States has the highest number of deaths of any country at the world at 555,000 and accounts for nearly 19% of all deaths due to the virus in the world. Cases have risen for the last 3 weeks but health officials believe the nation’s rapid vaccination campaign may prevent a rise in deaths. A third of the population has received at least one shot of a vaccine.

At least 370.3 million people or almost 4.75% of the global population have received a single jab of COVID-19 vaccine by Sunday, according to latest figures from research and data provider firm Our World in Data.

Nonetheless, the World Health Organization is calling on countries to donate more shots of approved COVID-19 vaccines to help meet vaccination targets for the most vulnerable in poorer countries.