It is getting to the point where TB is considered a rare disease in Hungary, Gábor Kovacs said, noting that deaths from TB fell from around 10,000 in the 1950s to 20 last year when there were 673 new cases. Six of them were children and all have recovered. 

TB is more common among homeless people, he said, adding that the health-care services are cooperating with the Maltese charity to contain the illness. 

Ledia Lazeri, head of the Hungarian office of the WHO, noted that the number of new cases in Hungary had fallen by 11% each year between 2012- 2016, almost three times the European average rate of 4.3%. She attributed this to strong political and professional commitment in Hungary to fighting the disease. 

Drug resistance is the greatest challenge in the fight against TB, Lazeri said, adding that the disease would not be eliminated in Europe, notwithstanding the current rate of decline in the number of new cases.