Over 2,000 sign up for TB screening in Jalan Bukit Merah

More than 1,500 people, representing about 93 per cent of eligible residents, have signed up for mandatory tuberculosis (TB) screening in Jalan Bukit Merah, which started on Jan 11 and will end on Jan 15.

- Joyce Teo

Another 500 individuals have signed up for voluntary screening.

This is in response to the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) TB screening exercise at the area, after 10 new cases were detected there.

The screening is mandatory for residents and workers at Blocks 1 and 3 in Jalan Bukit Merah, ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre, and Thong Kheng Seniors Activity Centre @ Queenstown as their potential risk of exposure is higher, MOH said.

Voluntary screening will be offered to those who are at lower risk of exposure, such as those who have visited the market and food centre, or Blocks 1, 2 and 3 for more than 12 hours in a month between November 2021 and January 2024, and former residents and tenants of Blocks 1 and 3.

A tent has been set up at the open carpark in the area for the screening of workers at the food centre and market, while house-to-house screening is being conducted for residents from Jan 11 to 13.

The 10 new cases were detected between February 2022 and July 2023.

Genetic analysis conducted in September 2023 revealed that all 10 cases have a similar genetic make-up as the cluster of seven TB cases linked to Block 2 Jalan Bukit Merah in 2022.