A tuberculosis (TB) cluster was identified at Block 216 Bedok Food Centre & Market in April 2026, prompting the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) to carry out mass screening of 3,169 tenants and workers in early May [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. About 15%, or 473 people, tested positive for TB infection and underwent chest X-rays to check if they were infectious [1, 2, 3, 4]. East Coast GRC MP Tan Kiat How said most cases are expected to be latent TB, with a smaller number requiring treatment [1].
Following the announcements, business at the food centre and market dropped sharply. Hawkers initially reported a 60% drop in customers, and footfall has held steady at 40-50% below previous levels since then [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Individual hawkers have estimated business declines between 40% and 70% [5]. Madam Huang Ling, a hawker at Block 216, said, "We've sold about 20 cups since we opened this morning. On a normal day, it would just be a constant stream of customers" [5].
East Coast Town Council began daily disinfection of the premises after CDA’s April 30 announcement and conducted a three-day deep cleaning starting May 17, including an early quarterly wash, before reopening the market on May 20, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Law Minister Edwin Tong said the cleaning "will give both patrons and hawkers a deeper sense of assurance that it is safe to continue to be here, to eat here, to socialise here" [1].
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung reassured the public that dining at the hawker centre remains safe, emphasizing that TB requires very prolonged close exposure to transmit and is not spread by casual contact like sharing a table or shaking hands [5]. CDA and town council continue daily disinfection as an enhanced measure [1, 2, 3, 4].
To support affected hawkers and merchants, relief measures include waiving half a month’s rental and other charges for May 2026, with extensions possible if footfall remains low [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Follow-up X-ray results are expected to be reported by mid-week, and those needing further checks or treatment will be identified [1].
