PETALING JAYA: The Covid-19 disease has claimed the life of a 71-year-old man from Melaka, the 15th death from the virus in the country.

Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the man had come into contact with another Covid-19 positive person who had attended the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque.

The man who had a history of chronic disease was being treated at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar.

He was admitted to the hospital on March 18 and died in the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday (March 24).

As of Monday (March 23), a total of 1,518 cases had been detected in the country.