Saudi’s King Salman, Crown Prince send letters to COVID-positive Algerian president

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman sent letters to the Algerian president after he tested positive with the coronavirus, state news agency SPA reported.
The two royals sent the messages to Abdelmadjid Tebboune after he was hospitalized in Germany, wishing him a speedy recovery.
Tebboune is said to be in a stable condition after undergoing medical tests, officials said Thursday, days after suspected coronavirus cases were reported among his aides.
The 74-year-old president, was transferred Wednesday to Germany from an Algerian hospital.
Representatives from his office said: “The medical team says that the results of the tests are reassuring.”
The president “has begun to receive the adequate treatment,” it said, without giving further details.
Tebboune’s transfer to Germany came after officials on Saturday said he had “voluntarily” gone into self-isolation for five days amid reports several officials in the presidency and government had contracted the Covid-19 disease.
On Tuesday, Tebboune, a heavy smoker, was admitted into a “specialized care unit” in a military hospital in Algeria’s capital.
His hospitalization comes ahead of a referendum to be held Sunday on constitutional reforms that the government hope will satisfy a protest movement. The vote is a flagship initiative of Tebboune.
Algeria has seen a resurgence in novel coronavirus cases in recent weeks.
More than 57,300 infections have been recorded in the country of 44 million, including 1,949 deaths.
(with agencies)