Deaths from UK hospital superbug rising

Deaths involving the hospital "superbug" MRSA in England and Wales have risen in recent years, according to a report released yesterday. Mentions of MRSA in death certificates rose 19 per cent between 2002 and 2003 to 955, it found. But the report, by...

Deaths involving the hospital "superbug" MRSA in England and Wales have risen in recent years, according to a report released yesterday.

Mentions of MRSA in death certificates rose 19 per cent between 2002 and 2003 to 955, it found.

But the report, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said some of that increase could be due to better reporting.

MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is resistant to drugs and can cause skin infections, sepsis and toxic shock.

Chief Nursing Officer Chris Beasley said there was no one simple solution to preventing infection, but fighting the bug was a top priority for the government.

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