TB cases in Singapore: Bedok Block 216 hawkers get half-month rental waivers after sales drop

Hawkers and merchants at Bedok’s Block 216 are getting half a month of rental and other charges waived this month, after customers started avoiding the area following reports of tuberculosis cases detected there. Some stallholders say sales have dipped by up to 70 per cent in the past few days. After the first day of free screenings at Heartbeat@Bedok, about 40 per cent of all 700 workers who require screening have been tested. In total, about 700 hawkers, merchants and the public have been screened. Noah Kong reports.