Amazon has confirmed an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB), sometimes referred to as a "Victorian disease," at its Coventry fulfillment centre in the UK. The GMB union has raised concerns over multiple TB cases among the warehouse’s approximately 3,000 employees and has called for the site to be temporarily closed without delay, according to a BBC report. 

The company confirmed that ten cases of non-contagious TB were detected in September 2025 and is coordinating with the National Health Service (NHS) to carry out a screening program. Amazon has stated that no further cases have been reported, and operations at the warehouse are continuing while the health checks are underway.

An Amazon spokesperson told the BBC, “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 company emphasised that the identified cases are non-contagious and confirmed in 2025. The expanded screening program is being conducted as a precautionary measure in collaboration with the NHS and UKHSA.

Dr. Roger Gajraj from UKHSA West Midlands explained that tests are available for employees who may have had close contact with affected colleagues. He reassured the public that the overall risk is low and highlighted that TB is treatable with antibiotics.

Despite this, the GMB union has urged Amazon to close the Coventry warehouse immediately and send all 3,000 staff home on full pay until comprehensive infection control measures are in place.

Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana criticised Amazon’s decision to keep the warehouse operational. 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.”