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From May 27 to May 31, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will offer free voluntary tuberculosis (TB) screening to current and former residents of Block 2 Jalan Bukit Merah.
In a press release on Saturday (May 21), MOH stated that the screening is a "precautionary measure" after a cluster of seven TB cases were detected at the block.
The free screening will also be offered to stallholders, shop owners and their employees at the location.
"Residents, stallholders, shop owners and employees of Block 2 Jalan Bukit Merah are strongly encouraged to participate in the TB screening," MOH said.
How the screening will be carried out
Mobile teams will go to the residents' homes to carry out the screening.
A screening station located at the Queenstown Hock San Zone Residents’ Committee Centre at Block 3 Jalan Bukit Merah will also be set up for those working at the shops and stalls, as well as to cater to residents whose homes are not suitable for screening.
Former residents and subtenants who had resided in the block from October 2020 will be contacted via phone call in June 2022 and offered screening at the TB Control Unit (TBCU). They may also call the TBCU Contact Clinic appointment hotline at 6258 4430..
Staff from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), with support from the People’s Association (PA), will be conducting visits to all units at the affected block from May 21 to May 23 to engage residents, as well as shop and stall owners and employees, and encourage them to participate in the screening.
MOH stated:
"While screening is not compulsory, MOH strongly encourages residents to be screened to determine if they have TB disease or infection (which is non-infectious). Persons with positive screening results will be offered appropriate advice and follow-up.
Those with TB disease will be treated immediately while those with TB infection will be given appointments at the TBCU and offered treatment to minimise their risk of developing TB disease in the future."
The detected TB cluster
On Mar. 2, 2022, MOH was notified of seven TB cases involving residents of Block 2 Jalan Bukit Merah.
They were diagnosed between February 2021 and March 2022.
All seven individuals live in different units of the block.
MOH said that these cases "immediately started on treatment" following their diagnosis.
Amongst them, two have completed treatment, and three are currently undergoing treatment.
The remaining two are deceased from causes not due to TB, explained MOH.
The ministry added: "As individuals diagnosed with TB will rapidly become non-infectious once treatment starts, the cases are not an ongoing public health risk."
Close contacts identified
Shortly after the seven cases were notified, the National TB Programme initiated contact investigations for each of them.
Their close contacts were identified and contacted for screening.
Investigations for each of the seven cases at the time of their diagnosis did not identify each other as close contacts.
MOH said:
"Genetic analysis and links, established in April 2022, revealed that all seven cases have similar genetic make-up. This suggests that these cases are linked by spread from one or more common sources.
Investigations into the cases did not reveal any common links, other than that they live in the same block. The cases did not know or interact with one another, or congregate at the same common areas, and had also not identified each other as close contacts.
Therefore, as a precaution, we are offering screening for those in the block to diagnose any TB cases that may be present for early treatment."
Risk of transmission
According to MOH, the risk of transmission to persons who are not close contacts of a TB case is very low.
Therefore, screening is not necessary for individuals who had occasionally visited the block or vicinity.
TB symptoms
The symptoms of TB disease include:
- persistent cough that lasts three weeks or longer
- low-grade fever
- night sweats
- fatigue
- weight loss
- chest pain
MOH explained that TB is typically spread through "close and prolonged contact with an infectious individual", and not by contact with items or surfaces touched by a person with TB.
"Therefore, persons who are contacted and screened following the detection of a TB individual typically comprise family members, close workplace colleagues and acquaintances from common social activities with close and regular interaction.
This approach is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is practised in Singapore."
MOH also noted that TB is endemic in Singapore.
TB infection is not uncommon in as it had been prevalent in Singapore until the 1970s and older Singaporeans could have been exposed to TB and acquired TB infection when they were younger.
TB infection is different from TB disease. One can be infected with TB germs for a long time without progressing to TB disease (which is when symptoms appear and the person becomes infectious). Persons with TB infection do not experience symptoms of TB and are not infectious.
MOH added:
"TB is curable and the spread of TB is preventable. Early detection and prompt treatment of cases remain important in helping those infected and rendering them non-infectious.
For individuals diagnosed with TB disease, adherence to treatment is important."
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