Amazon Confirms Outbreak Of 'Victorian Disease' At UK Warehouse, Union Calls For Immediate Closure

Amazon confirmed an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) - a bacterial infection often referred to as a 'Victorian disease', at its fulfillment center in Coventry, UK.  According to a BBC report, the GMB Union has raised concerns about multiple TB cases at Amazon's Coventry warehouse, which has around 3,000 employees, and is calling for the site to be shut down immediately. Amazon has confirmed 10 cases of non-contagious TB were identified in September, and they are working with the National Health Service (NHS) on a screening program. 

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. We will continue to follow guidance from the experts in the NHS and would respectfully remind public organisations of the need for responsible communications where matters of public well-being are concerned," the spokesperson said. 

Amazon described the cases as "non-contagious" and noted that they were identified in 2025. The company is currently working with the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to conduct an expanded screening program as a precaution.

Dr. Roger Gajraj from UKHSA West Midlands said tests are offered to those who may have had close contact with affected workers at Amazon's Coventry warehouse. He noted that the overall risk remains low, and TB is fully treatable with antibiotics.

The GMB union, however, has called for the immediate temporary closure of the warehouse and for all 3,000 staff members to be sent home on full pay until infection control measures are fully assessed.

Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, has slammed Amazon's decision not to close the Coventry warehouse despite multiple TB cases, calling it "outrageous" and accusing the company of treating employees like 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 symptoms include a persistent cough, tiredness, high temperature, loss of appetite, and weight loss, per NHS guidance. Latent TB usually doesn't cause symptoms but can become active later. In 2024, the UK saw a 13.6% rise in TB cases, with nearly 5,500 people testing positive, according to UKHSA data