Algeria: President Tebboune recovering from Covid-19

The 74-year-old is being treated in a private German hospital

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  An Algerian man prepares to vote at a polling station in the capital Algiers during a vote for a revised constitution. AFP

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  An Algerian man casts his ballot at a polling station in the capital Algiers. AFP

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  An Algerian man casts his ballot at a polling station in the capital Algiers. AFP

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  An Algerian man prepares to vote at a polling station in the capital Algiers. AFP

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  An Algerian man gets his temperature checked as a measure of precaution against the covid-19, before voting at a polling station in the capital Algiers. AFP

The health of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who contracted the Covid-19 disease, is "constantly improving", the presidency has said.

Mr Tebboune, who is 74 and a heavy smoker, has been undergoing treatment in a specialised hospital in Germany since October 28.

The president "is in the process of completing his treatment... and his state of health is constantly improving", the presidency said.

Mr Tebboune was transferred from a hospital in the Algerian capital Algiers to Germany shortly after he went into self-isolation, following reports of coronavirus cases among his aides.

He was admitted to "one of the largest specialised hospitals in Germany" to undergo "in-depth medical examinations," the presidency said.

The president's illness meant he was out of the country for last Sunday's constitutional referendum believed to be aimed at burying a mass protest movement and boosting Mr Tebboune, elected president after a record low turnout in December last year.

The referendum was passed with two-thirds of the vote but participation plunged to new lows with only 23.7 per cent of eligible voters casting ballots, according to official data.

In a separate statement released later on Sunday by his office, Mr Tebboune conveyed his "sincere thanks to the people" for their interest in his condition.

He also expressed thanks to leaders and governments of other countries for their messages of support.

Algeria's government on Sunday moved to strengthen measures to combat the spread of the virus in the country, extending a night-time curfew already in place in 20 of the country's 48 regions, to a further nine areas.

The curfew will start at 8pm local time, three hours earlier than previous restrictions, but will still end each morning at 5am.

The new measures will come into effect from Tuesday for 15 days, authorities said.