As Brazil and India struggle with surging coronavirus cases, a top health expert is warning that the world is still in the very middle of the outbreak, dampening hopes for a speedy global economic rebound and renewed international travel, AP reports.

"Right now, we're not in the second wave. We're right in the middle of the first wave globally,” said Dr Mike Ryan, the World Health Organisation's executive director.

"We're still very much in a phase where the disease is actually on the way up," Ryan said, pointing to South America, South Asia and other parts of the world.

India, with a population of over 1.3 billion, saw a record single-day jump in new cases for the seventh straight day. It reported 6,535 new infections on Tuesday, raising its total to over 145,000, including close to 4,200 deaths.