Superbug cases tumble

PENNINE Acute Trust, has slashed the number of cases of the MRSA superbug in its hospitals.

The number of patients with the bug at its four hospitals, including Oldham, has fallen by more than 90 per cent in four years.

In 2006/07, there were 105 reported cases, with latest figures for 2010/11 showing a massive fall to only 11 cases.

Ten of those caught the bug while in hospital, busting the trust’s target of no more than 14 hospital attributable MRSA cases across the year.

It also reported success in the battle against clostridium difficile (C-diff) infections.

The target for 2010/11 was no more than 363 cases, but fewer than half the number were reported, at 160 cases.

Marian Carroll, the trust’s Director of Nursing, commended the efforts and commitment of staff for the success in the battle