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Experts advise masking up during the upcoming festive season.
February 11, 2026, 12:20 PM
10 new tuberculosis (TB) clusters have been reported in seven states across Malaysia as of Feb. 7 this year, said the country’s health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
According to New Straits Times, Dzulkefly said that four out of the 10 clusters were found in Selangor, involving 10 cases.
A significant cluster was also found in Johor, involving 37 cases, while Kedah, Kelantan, Pahan, Perlis and Sabah each reported one cluster with no more than five cases, reported The Star.
33 cases were last reported on Jan. 25 in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
Among the latest Johor cases was a 72-year-old religious teacher, which resulted in 903 close contacts being identified, Dzulkefly added.
As of Feb. 7, the Johor cases involve 29 children and eight adults, he said.
All diagnosed patients are currently undergoing treatment.
Mask up
The health minister said the ministry is conducting screenings through clinical examinations, chest X-rays and symptom checks, including for prolonged cough, fever and sudden weight loss, NST reported.
Rapid genetic molecular tests can help identify cases within four hours, he said, adding that asymptomatic close contacts are screened for latent TB infection.
However, he said that Malaysia is far from eradicating TB and urged locals to strengthen their immune systems as “the bacteria will flare up” when immunity drops.
88 clusters were identified in 2025, involving 254 cases.
In light of the recent outbreak, experts have advised people to put on face masks while traveling and seek medical treatment early if they show symptoms, according to The Star.
This comes especially amidst the festive season, where many residents may choose to travel home, said a Epidemiology and Public Health professor from Universiti Malaya.
“The other thing is to wear a mask to prevent bacteria or virus from spreading, especially in public transport. It is not just TB, there are also other kinds of infectious diseases,” he said.
He further urged for windows and doors to be kept open to ensure good ventilation during gatherings, as TB is an infectious disease.
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