Dzulkefly dismissed the notion that immigrants are primarily responsible for the spread of the disease and warned against trivialising the risk of community transmission.

“Tuberculosis is not new to our public health landscape but has existed for years and remains endemic, requiring serious attention from all parties.

“It is not just a clinical issue, but is also driven by socioeconomic factors such as crowded living conditions and malnutrition,” he said in a Facebook post today.

“Mycobacterium tuberculosis is very stubborn, but the good news is that infections can be prevented, treated and fully cured if detected early, and patients adhere to their antibiotic treatment regimen for at least six months,” he said.

Dzulkefly urged the public to be aware of symptoms such as a cough lasting more than two weeks, fever, night sweats or weight loss, and to seek immediate treatment at clinics.

He also advised the public not to shun tuberculosis patients, emphasising the importance of emotional support to ensure patients complete their treatment.

Dzulkefly also encouraged parents to ensure their children receive the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin shot for tuberculosis, practise healthy lifestyles and ensure good home ventilation.

On Monday, the ministry said 503 new tuberculosis cases were detected nationwide up to Epidemiological Week 5 this year, bringing the cumulative total to 2,571 cases.

It said Sabah recorded the highest number at 614, followed by Selangor (476), Sarawak (257), Johor (233) as well as Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (202).