Algeria's president was transferred from hospital in Algiers to Germany on Wednesday, officials said, days after the 74-year-old went into self-isolation following reports of suspected coronavirus cases among his aides.

"The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune was transferred to Germany for in-depth medical examinations on the recommendation of medical staff," a statement from the presidency said.

The transfer comes after officials said Saturday that Tebboune had "voluntarily" gone into self-isolation for five days amid reports several officials in the presidency and government had contracted COVID-19.

On Tuesday, Tebboune, a heavy smoker, was admitted into a "specialized care unit" in a military hospital in Algeria's capital.

The presidency said at the time that his "state of health does not raise any concern," but gave no further details. His office said he "underwent thorough medical tests in one of Germany's largest specialized hospitals" and is in a "stable" condition.

On Wednesday, Tebboune had been expected to inaugurate the prayer hall of the new Grand Mosque in Algiers, the third largest in the world.

Algeria has seen a resurgence in novel coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Over 57,000 cases have been recorded in the country of 44 million. 

The president's hospitalization also comes as Algerians are set to vote on Sunday in a constitutional referendum that the government touts as heralding a "new republic." The vote is a flagship initiative of Tebboune. But a long-running protest movement rejects the exercise as window-dressing.

Observers see the constitution as the centerpiece of Tebboune's strategy to neutralize the Hirak movement, which staged vast demonstrations last year and forced his predecessor from office.

In a key setback for the protest movement, Tebboune was elected in a December 2019 presidential poll, despite the Hirak urging root-and-branch reform ahead of any elections.