One hospital MRSA-type case every 4 hours

The equivalent of one person develops a potentially fatal hospital superbug bloodstream infection every four hours, figures revealed after a series of damning health service hygiene reports have shown.

Despite significant improvements in tackling the threat of MRSA and other conditions in recent years, official records show six people are still contracting the conditions every day.

Health Protection Surveillance Centre figures compiled from hospital laboratories confirm that in the first half of last year — the latest period available — 128 MRSA and 939 clostridium difficile cases were found in public and private hospitals.