An Egyptian military plane loaded with large quantities of medical supplies, sanitisers, and protective suits has been dispatched to the Republic of the Congo and Zambia to help them fight coronavirus as per the directives of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the military spokesman announced on Monday.

"The aid comes in light of Egypt's efforts to help the brotherly African countries overcome the crisis and limit its repercussions on the continent's peoples," the spokesman said.

The Congolese and Zambian sides expressed their appreciation and said the move underscores the "strong ties" with Egypt in various fields, he added.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Egypt has sent several shipments of supplies and medical aid to some of the worst-stricken countries, including China, Italy, the US, and Sudan.

Egypt has recorded 24,985, coronavirus cases and 959 fatalities since the first case was recorded in the country in February.

Congo has detected a total of 611 coronavirus cases including 20 deaths, while Zambia has had a total of 1,089 coronavirus cases and seven deaths.