Tuberculosis Outbreak at Amazon Warehouse: How the Disease Spreads and What to Know

Amazon has confirmed the outbreak of the Victorian disease tuberculosis in one of its warehouses in Coventry, in the United Kingdom, which has over 3,000 employees working. In a statement, the retail giant said 10 people at the fulfilment centre had tested positive for non-contagious TB. The National Health Service staff also visited the site this week to perform screenings. According to a news report by the BBC, 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 has said the cases are non-contagious and were identified in September 2025. An expanded screening program is currently going on as a precaution with the NHS and UKHSA.

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is an illness caused by a bacterial infection, which commonly affects your lungs, but it can also affect other areas of your body, like your spine, brain, or kidneys. While not everyone who is infected with TB gets sick, you may have latent TB if you do not show any symptoms. Doctors say TB is dormant inside your body. Millions across the world have latent TB, some even for their entire life, without ever developing symptoms (active TB). But TB can become active if your immune system becomes weakened, which cannot stop the bacteria from growing.

What causes tuberculosis?

According to experts, Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria lead to this disease, as the germs spread through the air and can infect your lungs when you breathe them in. Sometimes, they also infect other parts of your body. The most common type of TB is pulmonary tuberculosis, but the bacterium also affects other parts of your body, which can spread throughout and lead to:

• Meningitis or inflammation of the lining of your brain
• Pott’s disease, also known as spinal tuberculosis
• Addison’s disease, an adrenal gland condition
• Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver
• Scrofula, which causes swollen lymph nodes in your neck

Also read: Norovirus Outbreak Sickens Over 100 Students at Guangdong School in China: Symptoms Explained

How does tuberculosis spread?

TB can spread when a person with active TB coughs, sneezes, talks, sings, or laughs. Only those with an active lung infection are contagious. You usually have to spend a lot of time in contact with someone who’s contagious to catch TB. Most people who breathe in TB bacteria can fight the bacteria and stop them from growing. This causes a latent TB infection.

Signs and symptoms of tuberculosis

A few active symptoms of tuberculosis include:

• Bad cough that lasts longer than two weeks
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood or sputum
• Severe fatigue and weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Unexpected weight loss
• Chills and high fever
• Night swears

While you may not have symptoms if you have inactive TB, you would have a positive TB test.