Super Bug 'Killing Patients'

A new generation of an occasionally deadly infection has been discovered - in the very places that people are at their most vulnerable - in hospitals.

This more virulent strain of C-Difficile - known as '027' - has now been found in patients in some of Belfast's hospitals.

It is a strain of the infection that was linked to the deaths of over 60 people in the Northern Health Trust area alone.

However, health officials now say they are setting up a range of measures to combat the bug.

The NI Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Liz Mitchell said hospitals were learning how other hospitals have managed with similar infection and claimed that our hospitals were "going in the right direction", with the overall number of new cases down in July.

The NI Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, (pictured) who has set up an independent review to look at how C-Diff is being managed, said possible solutions would include setting up isolation wards as well as running enhanced cleaning programmes for hospitals.

Despite all this, 58 patients in Belfast alone were affected by C-Diff in July, more than twice the number for June.

Elderly patients are most at risk from the C diff bug, with over 80% of cases reported in the over 65-age group.

The interim report from the Minister's review has also called for a return to simple procedures, such as more checks to ensure staff are washing their hands.

(BMcC)