Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has contracted Covid-19.

The nonagenarian has been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for "the next few days" on the advice of his doctors.

The two-paragraph statement from his office contains no word on the condition of his spouse Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali.

Mahathir, 97, is Malaysia's longest-reigning prime minister. His first tenure began in 1981 and ended when he resigned in 2003.

His second tenure lasted 22 months between 2018 and 2020.