An elderly patient who contracted the bug Clostridium difficile has died at Perth Royal Infirmary in Scotland.

BBC News reports that NHS Tayside is treating a further three patients who are under observation on the Tay ward at the hospital.

The health board said that, while C. difficile was a factor in the patient’s death, it was not the main cause.

A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament said that NHS Tayside had taken all steps appropriate to containing the outbreak.

‘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,’ he said.

A spokesman for NHS Tayside said that steps had been taken to isolate patients as soon as the first case of the infection was discovered. The Tay ward is currently closed to new admissions and one patient is recovering, while another two are showing ‘mild’ symptoms of infection only.

Consultant microbiologist Dr Gillian Orange said that staff had explained the situation to patients and their families – and were also contacting patients who had been discharged from Tay ward since Friday (02/04/10).

‘In line with our infection control procedures – and as a precautionary measure – we closed the ward to new admissions while we managed the infection, and the ward will remain closed until further notice,’ said Dr Orange.

‘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,’ she added.

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