'Still safe to eat': Tan Kiat How says Bedok TB cases did not involve hawkers or staff

Mandatory tuberculosis (TB) screening will be conducted for tenants and workers at three Bedok Central locations after health authorities identified 13 genetically similar cases across three clusters between January 2023 and February 2026.

The affected locations are Heartbeat@Bedok, Block 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market, and the Singapore Pools Bedok betting centre, announced the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) on Apr. 30.

Addressing public concern

In a social media post on May 2, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, who is also an MP for East Coast GRC, shared that he had just bought some food from the food centre to support the hawkers.

"It's very sad because many hawkers told me they prepared the whole day but because nobody came, they had to throw away all the food," he said.

This comes after hawkers have lamented online about the lack of footfall following the announcement of the TB cases.

@hawkergirl98Please support bedok business through our delivery platforms 🥺🥹🥺🫶🏽😭 dk how long would this last♬ original sound - Hawkergirl 👁👄👁

He also addressed some common misunderstandings by members of the public, including that the TB cases involved hawkers or staff at the three locations.

"That is not the case," he wrote. "There were individuals with TB who had visited the area, but our Heartbeat staff, hawkers and nearby outlets are not affected."

He noted that some of the cases might not even be people staying in Bedok, but had simply visited the area.

"As a common area, a common space, we wanted to have a precaution to test all our employees and hawkers."

Tan also reiterated that the 13 cases occurred over the last three years, and were not recent.

In another post on May 3, he reiterated that none of the reported 13 TB cases were among the hawkers, HeartBeat@Bedok or Singapore Pools staff.

He urged the public to continue patronising the area, saying the situation remained safe for everyday activities.

"If you’re nearby, do drop by and support our hawkers," he said. "Still safe to eat. Still safe to meet."

Status of existing cases

According to CDA, of the 13 cases identified, seven have completed treatment, five are currently undergoing treatment, and one has died from causes unrelated to TB.

All had begun treatment promptly upon diagnosis and are no longer infectious.

The agency also noted that several cases had no direct links to earlier confirmed cases but shared overlapping activity patterns at the three locations over time, suggesting possible TB exposure through repeated or prolonged visits.

Screening details

The mandatory screening will take place from May 4 to 7, with voluntary screening also being extended to members of the public who have visited these locations for extended periods.

Individuals who test positive on the initial blood test will be contacted by CDA to arrange a chest X-ray.

Onsite chest X-ray screenings will additionally be offered at Heartbeat@Bedok on May 14 and 15.

For those unable to attend, alternative appointments are available at SATA CommHealth Bedok Clinic or the National Tuberculosis Screening Centre from May 4 to June 5.

Individuals are required to register and make an appointment for onsite screening at Heartbeat@Bedok at this website.

What is tuberculosis?

According to CDA, TB is an airborne disease that typically requires prolonged close contact for over days to weeks, and the risk of infection from casual or brief contact remains low.

TB also cannot be spread through shared cups, utensils, or food.

Should one experience symptoms including a persistent cough lasting more than two weeks, fever, night sweats, or unexplained weight loss, he or she is advised to seek medical attention.