CASES of the superbug C difficile are continuing to fall, new figures show.Hospitals across Norfolk recorded fewer cases in the three months from July to September last year than in the previous three months.

CASES of the superbug C difficile are continuing to fall, new figures show.

Hospitals across Norfolk recorded fewer cases in the three months from July to September last year than in the previous three months.

There was also a fall in the total number of cases across the country.

Although it is often a hospital infection, many cases of C difficile are picked up outside hospital, in care homes or in the community but will be diagnosed in hospital labs.

The cases taken to the James Paget University Hospital, Gorleston, halved from 34 to 17, and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital reduced the figure from 71 to 70.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, laboratory diagnosed 30 cases, down from 40 in the previous three months.

Nationally, there was a 19pc fall in cases among the over-65s, who are especially vulnerable.

Mike Catchpole, of the Health Protection Agency centre for infections, said NHS staff were working hard to fight healthcare-associated infections such as C difficile, and this was paying off, but winning would only happen if the hard work continued.