PUBLISHED ONMay 05, 2026 4:05 AMBYSean LerHealth Minister Ong Ye Kung on Tuesday (May 5) urged Singaporeans not to avoid hawkers and businesses at Bedok Central during his visit to tuberculosis screening operations at Heartbeat@Bedok.
Ong, who is also Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, also visited Block 216 Bedok Food Centre to meet with residents, stallholders and workers.
Acknowledging feedback that businesses have been affected by as much as 50 per cent, Ong said: "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 Bedok 216 to eat."
The health minister reiterated that tuberculosis does not transmit through casual contact such as a few meetings or shaking hands.
"It requires very prolonged close exposure. So, therefore, coming to a hawker centre and eating (here) is perfectly safe," Ong added.
According to the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), transmission of the airborne disease requires "close and prolonged contact".
The agency similarly states on its website that tuberculosis cannot be spread by shaking hands, kissing, touching bed linens, or sitting on toilet seats.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Law Minister Edwin Tong, who is also anchor minister for East Coast GRC, announced that the National Environment Agency will provide a half-month rental rebate for eligible hawkers and merchants for the month of May.
He added that East Coast Town Council will also provide a half-month service and conservancy charge waiver for them.
Responding to AsiaOne’s queries, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How, who is also MP for East Coast GRC, said he is monitoring the situation closely with the grassroots and local merchants' association, and is in touch with the relevant government agencies.
The senior minister of state added that he is prepared to do more if the situation requires.
On Monday night, CDA announced that free tuberculosis screening for tenants, workers and frequent visitors to Bedok Central will be extended by one day, to Friday (May 8).
The agency said this will allow an additional 500 people to be screened. It added that as at 6pm on Monday, a total of 708 people have undergone screening.
Speaking during a visit to the tuberculosis screening centre at Heartbeat@Bedok, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung thanked residents, business owners and those who work in the area for getting themselves tested. He also reiterated that tuberculosis is not spread through casual contact and urged support for the hawkers and businesses there. #sgnews #Singapore #Health #Tuberculosis
On April 30, CDA announced that there had been 13 tuberculosis cases in Bedok Central with genetic similarities across Bedok 216 Food Centre, Heartbeat@Bedok, and the Singapore Pools Bedok Betting Centre between January 2023 and February 2026.
Several cases had overlapping activity patterns at the three locations over a period of time, suggesting possible TB exposure through repeated visits or prolonged exposure.
Ong said during his visit that the capability to sequence pathogens was a capability acquired post-Covid.
"Because we are able to now, post-Covid, sequence the pathogens, we are able to link them genetically, and know where they originated from," he explained.
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