C. Diff discovered at Altnagelvin

Clostridium Difficile (C. Diff) has been discovered within the Intensive Care Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Staff at the Londonderry hospital said they had noticed an increase of diarrhoea among patients.

A "deep clean" is under way, the hospital said, and infection control has been put in place, including the treatment of patients in isolation.

Director of acute services Alan Corry-Finn said the strain of C. Diff had not yet been established.

He said that it was not an outbreak, but that three patients in the ICU with the bug over two weeks was an increase in what they would normally see.

"The key messages that they (relatives) have been given and will continue to be given is obviously if they wish to visit their close relatives they should continue to do so," he said.