Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, in a phone conversation, the possibility to cooperate on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences, the Kremlin said on Thursday, specifying that the conversation was held at South Africa's initiative

Two people have died in South Africa after contracting COVID-19, the first coronavirus-related deaths in the country, South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Friday, announcing also that the number of positive COVID-19 tests in the country has surpassed 1,000