SINGAPORE - The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) reports that the majority of individuals screened for tuberculosis (TB) in Bedok from May 2 to May 8 have tested negative.
Of the 3,169 people screened, 85.1 percent tested negative. The remaining 473 individuals (14.9 percent) have tested positive on their blood test and require a follow-up chest X-ray to determine if they have active TB or latent TB infection (LTBI). According to the CDA, most of these cases are expected to be LTBI, meaning they are not infectious and pose no public health risk.
LTBI rates rise with age. In Singapore, the overall prevalence in 2015 was 12.7 percent, ranging from 2 percent in those aged 18-29 to 29 percent in those aged 70-79. The CDA noted that the positivity rate in Bedok is within expectations, given the transmission clusters detected at three locations: Heartbeat@Bedok, Block 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market, and the Singapore Pools betting centre.
The CDA emphasizes that a positive blood test only indicates exposure to TB bacteria, not active disease. In about 90 percent of people with LTBI, the bacteria remains inactive for life. The remaining 10 percent may develop active TB over time.
Free screening and follow-up tests are available until June 5, 2026. Those with positive blood tests will be contacted by phone to schedule chest X-rays. On-site mobile X-rays are available at Heartbeat@Bedok through May 15.