World Tuberculosis Day is being observed today, the 127th anniversary of Robert Koch's discovery of the tuberculosis bacillus.

The state Department of Health reminds residents that while many consider TB a disease of the past, it is still common in many countries.

Hawaii, in fact, has the highest TB rate in the nation at 9.6 cases per 100,000 people. Yet Hawaii ranks in the middle in total number of cases because of its smaller population.

Last year, 124 cases of active TB were reported in Hawaii, most of them on Oahu. Of the state's new TB cases, 88.7 were foreign born. The vast majority had latent TB that developed into active TB.

For more information on TB, call the Department of Health Tuberculosis Control Program at 832-5731 or go to: www.hawaii.gov/health/tb