Ramaphosa tweeted that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He asked for technical expertise on infection control, supply of lifesaving equipment for mobile testing and infection control.

Ramaphosa says Russia supported China, Italy and the US in the fight against the virus.

Meanwhile, the number of people in South Africa testing positive for the virus has risen by 80 to 1585.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize says the number of confirmed deaths is now nine.

Gauteng still has the most cases with nearly seven hundred followed by the Western Cape.

Sixty-three cases have not been allocated to specific provinces.

In KZN the St Augustine hospital has reported 11 cases including patients, health workers, and other staff members.

Three people died there.

Affected sections of the hospital have been closed to identify areas where there may have been infection control lapses.

The Health Department is now looking for all those people who were patients at the hospital since the first of March.

eNCA