Three people have died at the Mid Ulster Hospital after catching the killer bug Clostridium Difficile        (C-diff), the County Derry Post can reveal.
By Connla Young
Connla@derrypost.com
News that the killer bug has struck at the heart of the health service in south Derry has sent shivers through the ranks of healthcare officials throughout the district.
The revelation comes just days after it emerged that a man died in Altnagelvin Hospital earlier this month after contracting the feared MRSA bug.
But health chiefs are on full alert in the south of the county after it was revealed the deadly C-diff bug has claimed three lives at the Mid Ulster Hospital this year.
It is understood the most recent fatality was in May, with two other people falling victim to the bug earlier in the year.
News that C-diff has claimed three lives came as the Northern Health and Social Care Trust launched a campaign this week to beat the spread of killer bugs.
Health bosses will offer people visiting all hospitals in the trust area the chance to see hidden germs on their hands using special ultra violet scanners.
So far this year 31 people have died at Antrim Area Hospital after catching the killer C-diff bug.
However, in recent months bosses there have started to win the battle to eradicate it resulting in just two deaths last month.
A spokesman for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, which manages Magherafelt and Antrim hospitals, said officials remain committed to beating the deadly bug.
“We are hopeful that in the last weeks and months that with good management the outbreak is under control,” he said. “The mortality figures have stabalised thankfully.”