Poison bug strain found in hospital's baby unit

Thirteen babies at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, south-east London, were identified as carrying the bacteria on their skin, South London Healthcare NHS Trust said. Five have been discharged.

The unit was closed to admissions after the discovery earlier this month and remains shut.

A trust spokesman said: "We can confirm that the neonatal unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital has detected some cases of resistant E.coli bacteria. As a consequence, the unit is closed to any outside or avoidable admissions.

"The trust's other two neonatal units at the Princess Royal Bromley and Queen Mary's Sidcup remain open as normal.

"None of the babies are clinically affected by the bacteria. Babies who appear to carry the bacteria have been isolated.

"The trust is working with the Health Protection Agency to ensure that the correct measures are being taken."