SERIOUSLY ill patients at Southampton General Hospital have been hit by a potentially fatal bug.

Four patients on the intensive care unit have been struck down by MRSA - an infection which can kill people with weak immune systems or those with open wounds.

The superbug - methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus - is spread by hand. It can cause fevers, blood poisoning and pneumonia if left untreated.

The patients have now been isolated from the remaining eight people on the ward and are being 'barrier nursed' - meaning staff entering the areas where they are being treated are required to wear aprons and masks.

Numbers of visiting relatives are being restricted and they are also being made to wear aprons and regularly wash their hands with alcohol gel.

But hospital bosses today reassured that it's business as usual on the unit and that staff were being extra vigilant with hygiene care.

Hospital spokesman Marilyn Kay told the Daily Echo: "Four patients have MRSA on the intensive care unit who are being nursed separately from the rest. They are all together in one area. The patients are being treated appropriately depending on what else they have wrong with them.

"The other eight patients are being kept apart from them.

"This is normal procedure. The four are being barrier nursed. We don't regard this as an outbreak.

"We do know that one of the patients came in with it from the community.

"One of the remaining three was transferred from another hospital and could have contracted it there. We have had MRSA in intensive care before.

"It is throughout the community and very regular in all hospitals in the country.

"Our infection control is very good here and getting better. It is something we do take very seriously."

Mrs Kay said in a bid to prevent the spread of infection - carried by hand - courses were even being run at the General on good hand washing.