Tebboune travels to Germany after his hospitalization in Algiers

The Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, was taken to Germany today to undergo several "medical examinations", just one day after being admitted to the Algiers military hospital after being in contact with several senior members of the presidency and government who had tested positive for the coronavirus.

According to a brief communiqué from the Presidency broadcast on public television, the reason for his transfer is due to the need for "thorough medical examinations on the recommendation of his health personnel".

Tebboune was admitted yesterday to a specialised care unit at the military hospital in Aïn Naadja (Algiers) and, according to the presidency, his state of health was "stable and does not give rise to any concerns". 

Last Saturday the 74-year-old politician, who has been in power since the end of December, announced on social networks a five-day "voluntary" quarantine after being in contact with several positive cases and said he was "in good health".

Since last week, the Maghreb country has recorded an increase in the number of infections, which has once again surpassed the 200-case mark every day, with 57,026 positive cases and 1,941 deaths since the beginning of the epidemic. The reason, according to the local authorities, is the "relaxation" of prevention measures by citizens.

Health Minister Abderrahmane Benbouzid met last Saturday with officials from the country's public hospitals to increase the number of ICU places for coronavirus patients, who currently occupy nearly 3,000 beds, equivalent to 19% of their total capacity.

Benbouzid expressed concern about the lack of mask use among the population "who have the impression that the epidemic is over," although he pointed to the daily number of deaths - which is below ten - as an "encouraging" indicator.

Since the end of September, Algeria had recorded a maximum of 200 cases per day, and the regime therefore attempted gradually to open up the national economy, which has already been badly hit by the sharp drop in oil and gas prices since 2014, which account for 95 percent of Algerian exports.

On 21 October, Algerian students began to return gradually to school after more than seven months of forced holidays, despite criticism from teachers of the lack of resources to implement the health protocol.

The government has, however, maintained the total armoring of the country's land, sea and air borders since March and with no scheduled opening date, in order to avoid a second wave of contagion.