SINGAPORE — Singapore saw a slight decline in tuberculosis (TB) cases and deaths in 2025, with 11 fatalities and 1,019 new active cases reported, down from 20 deaths and 1,156 cases in 2024, the Communicable Diseases Agency said on March 23.
This translates to 24.2 cases per 100,000 people, compared with 27.6 per 100,000 the previous year. Older adults and men remain the most affected groups.
Of the new cases, 788 (77.3%) were aged 50 or older, and 668 (65.6%) were men. There was one new case of multi-drug-resistant TB and 72 relapse cases. While TB is endemic in Singapore, the prevalence of latent TB infection—where individuals carry the bacteria without symptoms—remains a concern, particularly among those aged 70 and above, with up to 20% affected.
The CDA emphasized early detection and strict treatment adherence to prevent transmission. Since July 2024, contact tracing and screening of close contacts have been compulsory. Treatment, typically lasting six to nine months, renders patients non-infectious. Directly observed treatment (DOT) is available at all polyclinics, and video-observed therapy (VOT) has been introduced since 2020. From 2026, CDA will adopt a more individualized approach to TB care to ensure adherence while protecting families and communities.
The agency urged anyone with prolonged cough or TB symptoms, or identified as a contact of a TB patient, to seek prompt medical evaluation.
