The Tunisian and Algerian authorities have agreed on establishing a scientific council to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tunisian health sources revealed that the council would coordinate scientific and medical research as well as compare results.
Media sources in both countries affirmed that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his Tunisian counterpart, Kais Saied, welcomed the joint scientific efforts.
The council, which will be directly overseen by the two presidents, is highly important because more than 2 million Algerian tourists visit Tunisia annually, and border crossings between the two countries could be a route for the spread of infection.
The announcement of the council’s establishment comes amid Tunisia’s success in curbing the pandemic. Tunisian Health Minister Abdellatif Mekki stated that his country avoided around 1,000 deaths and 25,000 infections due to its precautionary measures.
Tunisia has stemmed the coronavirus outbreak by banning family outings during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, especially between May 23 and 26.
The country seeks to lift the lockdown gradually through three phases. It has recorded 1,048 cases and 47 deaths.
As for Algeria, it recorded 7,728 infections and 575 deaths.
