'Now is the time to come to Bedok': Ong Ye Kung & Tan Kiat How eat at hawker centre during TB screening visit

"I hope today, by me coming here and eating with everybody, we send a clear message to Singaporeans. Now is the time to come to [Block 216 Bedok Food Centre]," said Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung.

Speaking to the media during his visit to Block 216 Bedok Food Centre and the tuberculosis (TB) screening operations at Heartbeat@Bedok on May 5, Ong reassured the public that while TB is an airborne disease, it typically requires prolonged close contact for over days to weeks, and the risk of infection from casual or brief contact remains low.

Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, was joined by Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, who is also an MP for East Coast GRC.

Their visit comes after health authorities identified 13 genetically similar cases across three clusters between January 2023 and February 2026.

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

Fewer customers after announcement

Hawkers at the food centre have lamented online about a drop in footfall following the announcement of the TB cases.

Tan addressed the situation on May 2, sharing on social media that he had visited the food centre to buy food to support the hawkers.

He also addressed some common misunderstandings by members of the public, namely 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."

Comparison to Bukit Merah case

Ong drew parallels to the TB cluster at Bukit Merah in 2024, noting that since the mass testing exercises conducted then, there has not been a single case of active TB from residents living in the area, describing the operation as "successful".

He added that they are now replicating the same operational approach for the current situation.

Ong also shared that advances in pathogen sequencing technology developed after the Covid-19 pandemic have given health authorities a new tool to detect genetic similarities between TB cases, allowing clusters to be traced and linked with greater precision than before.

He mentioned that Singapore has generally been successful in controlling TB infection cases, which meant that Singaporeans have less awareness of TB and how it spreads. The government therefore tries to educate the public once such cases make the news.

Details on screening

Mandatory TB screening for tenants and workers at the three locations began on May 4.

Voluntary screening has also been extended to members of the public who have visited these locations for extended periods.

Following strong public response, the Communicable Development Authority (CDA) announced on May 4 that screening at Heartbeat@Bedok has been extended by a day to May 8.

Members of the public may also book appointments at SATA CommHealth Bedok Clinic or the National Tuberculosis Screening Centre.

Screening at both locations runs from May 4 to June 5, 2026, and is free of charge.