Amazon workers at Coventry warehouse tested for tuberculosis after outbreak
Amazon is testing workers at its Coventry warehouse for tuberculosis after an outbreak of the lung disease.A handful of workers from the site were found to have contagious tuberculosis (TB) last year, prompting the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to begin running a screening programme in September.Amazon said 10 people at the site, which employs about 2,000 people according to the GMB union, had since tested positive for the non-contagious, or latent, variety of TB late last year.Some people have TB in their body but do not get ill or have any symptoms – this is known as latent TB.This variant cannot be spread to others, but it can turn into active, contagious TB in the future if it is not treated.
Dr Roger Gajraj, a consultant in health protection withUKHSA, said it identified a small number of individuals at the site who were “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,” he added.“TB is fully treatable with antibiotics.We continue to work closely with Amazon to monitor the situation.
”Amazon said that after some cases were identified “we immediately followed guidance from the NHS and UKHSA and made all employees potentially affected aware of the situation,Out of an abundance of caution, we are currently running an expanded screening programme with the NHS,”A spokesperson said the company had briefed the whole site on the situation: “Nothing is more important than the safety and wellbeing of our team members,”Amanda Gearing, a senior GMB union organiser for the site, called for “immediate and decisive action – including the temporary closure of Amazon Coventry” warehouse, until appropriate infection control measures had been implemented to prevent the further spread of TB,The GMB said multiple cases of tuberculosis had been reported at the site, with NHS staff attending this week to perform blood tests on members of staff.
One Amazon worker said there were concerns that the high level of migrant workers at the site meant many people would be vulnerable because they would not have had vaccinations in their home country.The main symptoms of TB are a cough that lasts more than three weeks, exhaustion, high temperature, night sweats and unexplained weight loss.The disease is caused by bacteria and can spread through close contact with people who have TB with symptoms.A spokesperson for Coventry city council said: “We encourage all residents to be aware of the symptoms of tuberculosis following a rise in cases across the country.Our advice to people is that TB testing and treatment is free to everyone on the NHS, regardless of immigration status.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their GP or NHS 111 without delay,”In 2024, the number of people notified to have the disease rose by 13,6% to 5,490 people,The rate of notifications at 9,4 per 100,000 population, is now only just below the World Health Organization threshold of 10 per 100,000 for a low incidence country and continuing to rise, according to a government report released in October.
The warehouse in Coventry has been the site of industrial action; Amazon narrowly defeated a recognition vote there in 2024.
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