KANGAR — In the merriment of celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the community also needs to be aware of self-care aspects when visiting during the festive season and attending open houses to curb the spread of tuberculosis (TB), which can easily be transmitted to others through the air.

KPJ Perlis Specialist Medical Centre consultant physician Dr. Nurazam Omar said that individuals with symptoms such as coughing and those at risk of infection are encouraged to wear face masks, frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitizers, and maintain a distance of one to two metres.

He said that individuals with a cough are at risk of being carriers of the disease, which can infect high-risk groups, including children under five years old, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer who have weak immune systems.

“When it’s the festive season, we usually go for visits and open houses, so those who have a cough and might not know they have tuberculosis need to take precautions by wearing a mask and practicing proper cough etiquette to prevent others from getting infected.

“Similarly, those at risk who suffer from chronic diseases also need to be vigilant about self-care by wearing face masks, washing hands frequently, and maintaining a distance, as a weak immune system makes it easy for germs to attack the lungs,” he said when met by Bernama recently.

Dr. Nurazam said the disease caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which attacks the lungs, can spread and infect other individuals through the air when the active tuberculosis carrier talks, coughs, sneezes, shouts or sings.

He said that the period during which an individual is at high risk of contracting the disease is after more than eight hours of interaction and being in close contact with a tuberculosis patient in a certain place.