Algeria president hospitalised amid Covid scare

ALGIERS: Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been hospitalised, his office said Tuesday, days after he went into self-isolation after suspected coronavirus cases among his aides.

In its statement, however, the presidency said Tebboune's "state of health does not raise any concern".

Tebboune's hospitalisation comes five days ahead of a referendum on constitutional reforms that the government hopes will satisfy a protest movement.

The 74-year-old had also been expected to inaugurate the prayer hall of the new Grand Mosque in Algiers, the third largest in the world, on Wednesday.

"On the recommendation of his doctors, President Abdelmajid Tebboune has returned to a specialised care unit of the army's central hospital in Ain Naadja in Algiers," said the presidency statement.

"His health is stable and does not raise any concern," it said, only adding that he "continues his daily activities" from hospital.

The presidency said Saturday that Tebboune had "voluntarily" gone into self-isolation for five days after suspected coronavirus cases emerged among several officials in the presidency and government.

Algeria has seen a resurgence in coronavirus cases in the past two weeks.

Nearly 57,000 cases have been recorded in the country of 44 million, including more than 1,930 deaths.