Health officials have expressed concern over drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis emerging in Eastern Europe and central Asia. The Red Cross called it the most alarming tuberculosis situation since World War II and instructed EU leaders to act on the threat.

The World Health Organization (WHO) cited that the "hottest zones" of strains were on the EU borders.

Some 450,000 cases of TB occur in Europe and central Asia every year with 70,000 of those being new strains.

The health group's statements were said during the launch of the Stop TB Partnership in Europe.

Markku Niskala, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the message for EU leaders was: "Wake up, do not delay, do not let this problem get further out of hand."

He said, "The drug resistance that we are seeing now is without doubt the most alarming tuberculosis situation on the continent since World War II."

"The hottest zones of drug-resistant tuberculosis are all around the periphery of the European Union," said Mario Raviglione, director of the WHO's Stop TB division.

"Investment in tuberculosis control must reflect the real emergency we are facing and be placed higher on the European agenda, especially in donor countries," he said.