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Mauritanian President has tested positive for , his office announced on Monday night, as cases of the virus surge in the country.

Ghazouani, 65, tested positive for Covid-19 after exhibiting "mild" symptoms, the presidency's office said in a statement.

The president had only recently recovered from the flu, according to the statement.

announced its first 14 cases of the variant last week. The number of Covid cases has since surged.

The Mauritanian health ministry said Monday that it had recorded of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours - the highest-ever daily total on record, and more than one percent of all Covid cases the country has recorded since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The country has administered two vaccine doses to about one-fifth of its total population, according to official figures.