Amazon confirms it had TB outbreak at warehouse

Amazon has confirmed one of its warehouses was hit by an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB).

On Friday, the GMB Union said multiple cases of TB has been reported at the online retailer's Coventry site, which has about 3,000 employees, and called for the hub to be closed immediately, adding that NHS staff attended the site this week to perform blood tests.

In a statement Amazon said 10 people at the fulfilment centre had tested positive for non-contagious TB in September.

A spokesperson said no additional cases had since been identified and its site continued to run as normal amid a "screening programme" being carried out amid "an abundance of caution".

"In line with best practice safety procedures, we immediately followed guidance from the NHS and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and made all potentially affected employees aware of the situation," the statement read.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we are currently running an expanded screening programme with the NHS.

"We will continue to follow guidance from the experts in the NHS, and would respectfully remind public organizations of the need for responsible communications where matters of public wellbeing are concerned."

Dr Roger Gajraj, consultant in health protection with UKHSA West Midlands, said: "The small number of individuals affected by tuberculosis (TB) are responding well to treatment and are no longer infectious, so pose no onward risk.

"As a precaution, and in line with national guidance, we are offering testing to those who may have had closer contact with the affected individuals. The overall risk remains low.

"TB is fully treatable with antibiotics. We continue to work closely with Amazon to monitor the situation."

The GMB Union called for all staff to be sent home, medically suspended on full pay "until appropriate infection control measures are implemented to prevent the further spread of TB".

Amanda Gearing, GMB senior organiser, said "immediate and decisive action, including the temporary closure of Amazon Coventry" was required.

Zarah Sultana, Your Party MP for Coventry South, said Amazon not closing was "outrageous", and the company was treating "its employees as if they're disposable".

She said: "With multiple confirmed cases on site, the warehouse must be shut down immediately and workers sent home on full pay.

"This is a corporation that clearly thinks it's above the law, forcing people into conditions that belong in the Victorian era. It's a stark reminder of why the trade union movement was founded in the first place."

TB is a bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs. It is preventable and curable, but can cause irreversible damage to the lungs if left untreated.

Sometimes people are infected with TB but remain asymptomatic, which is called latent TB.

According to the NHS, this type of TB cannot be spread to others, but it can turn into active TB in the future.

Symptoms usually come on gradually and include:

• a cough that lasts more than three weeks, which may produce mucus or blood
• feeling tired or exhausted
• a high temperature or night sweats
• loss of appetite
• weight loss
• feeling generally unwell

Statistics released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) last year showed there were 5,490 active cases of the disease in England in 2024, compared to 4,831 in 2023, a rise of 13.6%.

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