Tuberculosis : Singapore Identifies Two Genetically Separate Clusters

By MASSITA AHMAD SINGAPORE, Jan 21 (Bernama) – Singapore has identified two genetically separate tuberculosis (TB) clusters involving a total of 18 individuals who had prolonged exposure at the Singapore Pools Bedok Betting Centre. The two clusters were determined by genetic sequencing and epidemiological investigations which concluded in January 2021, as part of retrospective testing of TB cases to determine linkages, the republic’s Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its website. “The 18 cases were diagnosed between February 2015 and October 2020,” it said. The MOH said investigations into the cases did not reveal any common links, other than that they had all frequently visited the betting centre over a period ranging from months to years and spent prolonged durations at the centre watching live horse-racing telecasts. “The cases did not know each other, and had not identified each other as close contacts,” it said. According to the ministry, TB is endemic in the republic and latent TB infection is not uncommon in Singapore population, as TB had been prevalent in here until the 1970s and older Singaporeans could have been exposed to TB and acquired latent TB infection when they were younger. “Persons with latent TB do not experience symptoms of TB and are not infectious,” it said. The ministry noted that the 18 cases had immediately started treatment following diagnosis and are not a current ongoing public health risk. -- BERNAMA