President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish authorities said Monday.

Erdoğan and Merkel discussed the opportunities for cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the steps to be taken in the post-pandemic period, as well as bilateral relations and regional issues, according to a statement by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications.

After originating in China last December, the COVID-19 virus has spread to at least 187 countries and regions. Europe and the U.S. are currently the worst-hit regions.

The pandemic has killed over 283,000 worldwide, with total infections exceeding 4.12 million, while recoveries surpassed 1.42 million, according to figures compiled by the U.S.' Johns Hopkins University.