MRSA rates are lowest (From Stourbridge News)

MRSA rates are lowest

5:36pm Monday 5th February 2007 in Local

DUDLEY Hospitals are celebrating after recording the lowest rates of infection for MRSA in the Black Country.

The figures, for the period between April 2005 and March last year, show per bed days, Dudley hospital cases reported 1.33 cases, compared to 1.38 in Walsall, 2.60 for Sandwell and West Birmingham and 3.10 for Wolverhampton.

The "encouraging" statistics were published by the Health Protection Agency on Tuesday (January 30).

Paul Farenden, chief executive, said: "We have been making huge efforts to drive the number of MRSA cases down in Dudley, and have reported some of the lowest numbers for the last two years now.

"Here in Dudley the introduction of stricter visiting times and reinforcement of not sitting on patient beds, and using the hand gel after touching relatives has helped us to raise awareness of how infections can be spread.

"The latest figures are encouraging and we must continue with our efforts to reduce the number of patients contracting this infection both in the community and in hospital."