Outbreak of Tuberculosis Reported at Amazon Warehouse in England

Outbreak of Tuberculosis Reported at Amazon Warehouse in England

Early last year, I reported on a Kansas City–area tuberculosis (TB) outbreak, which reached at least 67 active cases and was described as the largest documented TB outbreak in U.S. history since national statistics began.

This year, a notable outbreak has been reported at a large Amazon fulfillment center in Coventry, England, after multiple staff cases were identified and blood screening was carried out by the National Health Service.

Amazon has confirmed one of its warehouses was hit by an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB).

On Friday, the GMB Union said multiple cases of TB had been reported at the online retailer’s Coventry site, which has about 3,000 employees, and called for the hub to be closed immediately, adding that NHS staff attended the site this week to perform blood tests.

In a statement Amazon said 10 people at the fulfilment centre had tested positive for non-contagious TB in September.

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”.

As a reminder, tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria that most often attacks the lungs and can also affect other organs such as the kidneys, brain, and spine. Outbreaks are troubling because TB spreads through the air when people with active disease cough or sneeze, can remain contagious for long periods if undiagnosed, and may involve drug‑resistant strains that are harder and longer to treat, increasing illness and death.

Next topic for Amelia to address: The UK's awful NHS. https://t.co/vY6fAJJXzJ pic.twitter.com/TTIWvnMZPr

— Leslie Eastman ☥ (@Mutnodjmet) January 22, 2026

Also in the fall, there were reports of scabies outbreaks in UK schools, with indications that schools had been closed because of the cases.

The UK is currently facing a spike in scabies, with cases confirmed at a college in Devon, and reports suggesting some schools have closed due to suspected outbreaks.

An email sent to parents of children at South Devon College in Paignton earlier this week warned the mite had infiltrated the student site, with seven confirmed cases so far.

Dr Firas Al-Niaimi, a consultant dermatologist based in London, said cases could be rising because people are misdiagnosing themselves or getting a diagnosis too late.

“Patients might not present to their GP because they think it is just eczema,” he told Sun Health.

Scabies is a skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the outer layer of the skin, leading to intense itching and a bumpy or blister-like rash. Outbreaks are a concern because scabies spreads easily through close skin-to-skin contact in homes, childcare centers, schools, and nursing facilities, and people can pass it on before they realize they are infected, which means many people in a group may need treatment at the same time.

🚨🇬🇧 SCHOOLS CLOSE AS SCABIES SPREADS IN MODERN BRITAIN

Schools are reportedly closing after outbreaks of scabies, an illness most people associate with the Victorian era.

A civilian journalist has even found bags marked “scabies” outside a migrant hotel, raising serious… pic.twitter.com/Z6d8RRPbbf

— British Intel (@TheBritishIntel) January 20, 2026

Several of the articles covering the above topics referred to these diseases as from the “Victorian Era”. I would simply like to point out that I predicted this exact situation in 2015.

This is what policy failure looks like: Victorian diseases resurging in modern Britain.

* TB cases up 13% in one year: 4,831 (2023) → 5,490 (2024)
* 82% of TB cases are from people born outside the UK
* Scabies cases up 44% year-on-year
* GP visits for scabies now double the… pic.twitter.com/LyhJfFICX4

— Nick Marcel Tenconi (@NickTenconi) January 22, 2026

Interestingly, infectious disease experts were interviewed to list the 5 diseases to watch out for in 2026:

1. Measles
2. Avian influenza (bird flu)
3. Monkeypox
4. Insect-borne illnesses (tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses)
5. Emerging infectious diseases (e.g., Ebola)

I will simply point out that I have been following all of these for quite some time. Interestingly, the insect-caused infections were the ones to really pay attention to in this country.

Finally, insect-borne diseases are expanding their reach in the U.S. Oropouche virus, transmitted by mosquitoes and biting midges, has emerged as a concern, along with anaplasmosis, a tick-borne illness.

“People know about Lyme disease, but they might not know about anaplasmosis, which can be more severe in the acute phase in terms of fevers, chills, muscle aches and pains,” Adalja said.

Even if “Victorian” diseases are making headlines again, this is not a story about mysterious new plagues so much as it is a reminder that old foes never really left. These pathogens are very good at exploiting crowded workplaces, stressed health systems, illegal immigration, and public complacency.

Careful surveillance and effective infection control based on real science are as important for historic illnesses and deserve as much attention as “new pandemics.” The fact that measles, TB, scabies, and insect-borne infections are all on the 2026 watch list simply confirms what I have always known: if you pay attention to history, you see the future coming.

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