Workers at an Amazon fulfilment centre in Coventry are being screened for tuberculosis (TB) following the identification of a potential outbreak of the infectious lung disease.
Precautionary Screening Programme Underway
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) initiated a testing programme in September last year after a handful of employees at the site were found to have contagious TB. Amazon has confirmed that ten individuals at the warehouse subsequently tested positive for latent TB in late 2023.
Latent TB means a person carries the bacteria but is not ill or infectious; however, it can develop into the active, contagious form if left untreated. The warehouse employs approximately 2,000 people, according to the GMB union.
Dr Roger Gajraj, a consultant in health protection at UKHSA, stated that a small number of affected individuals were “responding well to treatment and are no longer infectious, so pose no onward risk.” He emphasised that the overall risk remains low, but testing is being offered as a precaution to those who had closer contact.
Union Calls for Temporary Closure
The GMB union has called for more decisive action. Senior organiser Amanda Gearing demanded “immediate and decisive action – including the temporary closure of Amazon Coventry” until proper infection control measures are implemented to prevent further spread.
Union officials reported that multiple TB cases have been noted at the site, with NHS staff conducting blood tests this week. One worker expressed concerns that the high proportion of migrant staff, who may not have been vaccinated in their home countries, could increase vulnerability.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company acted immediately on NHS and UKHSA guidance, briefing the entire site. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are currently running an expanded screening programme with the NHS,” they said, adding that nothing is more important than employee safety.
National Rise in TB Cases
This incident occurs against a backdrop of rising TB cases across the UK. Government data from October revealed a 13.6% increase in TB notifications in 2024, reaching 5,490 people. The rate of 9.4 cases per 100,000 population is nearing the World Health Organization's 10 per 100,000 threshold for a low-incidence country.
Coventry City Council urged all residents to be aware of TB symptoms, which include a persistent cough lasting over three weeks, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss. A council spokesperson stressed that testing and treatment are free for everyone on the NHS, regardless of immigration status.
The Coventry warehouse has been a focal point for industrial relations, with Amazon narrowly defeating a union recognition vote in 2024.
