Bedok TB screening exercise ends, with one man diagnosed with active TB disease so far
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People queueing at the tuberculosis screening centre at Heartbeat@Bedok, on May 5.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
- Bedok Central TB screening completed, identifying one active TB case now undergoing treatment and contact tracing.
- Out of 3,525 screened, 85.6% were negative. One active TB, 404 normal, and 42 minor X-ray abnormalities were found.
- TB is endemic in Singapore; detected rates are within expectations. Free screening and follow-up tests continue until June 5, 2026.
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SINGAPORE – The tuberculosis (TB) screening exercise at Bedok Central has been completed, with one person diagnosed with active TB disease so far, said the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) on May 19.
The person has commenced treatment and is doing well, and will be non-infectious upon completion of two weeks of treatment, it said. Contact tracing is under way to identify and evaluate his close contacts, CDA added.
A total of 3,525 tenants, workers and people who frequented Heartbeat@Bedok, Block 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market, and the Singapore Pools Bedok Betting Centre have been screened for TB since May 2.
Among them, 14.4 per cent, or 509 persons, had a positive blood test result and required a follow-up chest X-ray.
Of 447 individuals who completed their chest X-ray, one man was found to have active TB, which means he is likely infectious. Those with active TB may have symptoms such as a prolonged cough, persistent fever, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, chest pain and, on rare occasions, blood in the sputum.
Another 42 people may not have active TB disease but will be further evaluated at the National Tuberculosis Care Centre as minor abnormalities were detected on their X-rays.
The other 404 had normal X-ray results but may have latent TB, meaning they had previous infections. A person with latent TB does not have symptoms and cannot spread it to others. But the bacteria remain inactive in the body, and the disease can be activated months or even years later because of a weakened immune system, certain medical conditions or other factors.
The CDA will follow up with the remaining 62 individuals who tested positive at SATA CommHealth Bedok Clinic or the National Tuberculosis Screening Centre. Screening, as well as further tests, continues to be offered free of charge until June 5, it said.
TB is endemic in Singapore. The CDA said that both the active TB disease and latent TB infection rates detected from the screening at Bedok are within expectations.
In 2024, there were 1,156 new cases of active TB disease among Singapore residents, at an incidence rate of 27.6 cases per 100,000 residents. Latent TB is not uncommon here, with rates of up to 30 per cent among the older age groups.
