In June 2020, as part of a country-wide response to contain the spread of COVID-19 among workers housed in labour camps, the local authority in Muharraq, Bahrain decided that water and electricity supplies would be cut. The measure was intended to force landlords who had not complied with health and safety regulations to move workers to ensure social distancing was possible.

Two weeks later the decision was criticised by a local politician who pointed out that workers living in already-crowded accommodation would move into neighbouring housing, exacerbating the issue.

MPs have otherwise called for labour accommodation inspections to increase and report that they have already relocated hundreds of people.