Only five of India's states are responsible for more than half the country's Covid-19 caseload - 4.2 million confirmed cases and counting.

After overtaking Brazil earlier today, India now has the world's second-highest tally.

The five states - Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh - also have the highest number of active cases.

Maharashtra - which has recorded more than 900,000 cases - has been at the top for months now. It has also reported the highest number of deaths so far - more than 26,600.

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, which seemed to have the outbreak under control initially, have raced to the top more recently.

But all of them have been reopening since June, and any further lockdowns seem unlikely.

Experts believe that economic woes have left the government with no choice, while a relatively low death rate has kept panic at bay.