C. diff patient dies in Perth Royal Infirmary

The elderly patient was being treated at Perth Royal Infirmary

An elderly patient at Perth Royal infirmary has died after contracting the Clostridium Difficile infection.

A further three patients from the Tay Ward have contracted the C. diff bug and are currently under observation.

An NHS Tayside spokesman said C. diff was a factor in the death of the patient but was not the main cause.

The board said another patient was recovering and two more were showing mild symptoms of the infection. The ward has been closed to new admissions.

The first case was isolated as soon as the infection was confirmed and the others as soon as symptoms occurred.

Monitoring procedures

Consultant microbiologist Dr Gillian Orange said: "In line with our infection control procedures and, as a precautionary measure, we closed the ward to new admissions while we manage the infection and the ward will remain closed until further notice."

She said staff had spoken to Tay Ward patients and families to explain the situation and reassure them and were contacting patients who had been discharged from the ward since Friday 26 March.

Dr Orange added that NHS Tayside had "comprehensive" infection monitoring procedures throughout its hospitals which were able to rapidly identify infection which triggers a rapid response from infection control teams.

"These cases of C. diff infection were detected very early which meant we were then able to reinforce all appropriate infection control measures," she said.

"I am absolutely confident that all appropriate procedures to deal with this infection have been put in place immediately and that every effort has been made to make patients and their families aware of what is happening."

A Scottish Government spokesman said that NHS Tayside had taken the necessary steps to contain the situation.

He added: "We are being kept fully informed, and our thoughts are with the families.

"Each such incident is extremely serious, and we expect NHS boards to continue to work hard to keep bringing infection rates down further.

"The most recent published statistics show that cases of both C. diff and MRSA in Scottish hospitals are at their lowest since records began."