13 TB cases in Bedok Central prompt mandatory screening for workers, tenants

Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency has identified 13 genetically similar tuberculosis cases across three clusters in Bedok Central and will require screening for workers and tenants at the affected sites.

The agency said the cases were found at Heartbeat@Bedok, Block 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market, and the Singapore Pools Bedok betting centre. Mandatory screening is scheduled for May 4 to May 7, and about 700 people are expected to take part.

CDA said the cases were identified through epidemiological investigations and whole-genome sequencing. It also said the people with TB are no longer infectious, and that casual or brief contact carries low risk.

Alongside the mandatory checks, voluntary screening will be offered to members of the public who spent an extended period at the locations, based on a cumulative 96-hour threshold from January 2023 to date.

The affected locations remain open. Health officials say the goal is to identify any additional cases early and stop further spread rather than to close down the area.

The main next step is the screening exercise itself, which will show whether the three Bedok Central clusters have spread beyond the 13 confirmed cases so far.