Cases of potentially life-threatening superbugs have been reduced, according to Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.

It says there were two cases of MRSA – a bacteria which often lives harmlessly in the body but can cause blood poisoning, infections or even death – between April and June, down from 10 in the same period in 2007.

There were 50 instances of C. difficile infections – a gut infection which can kill – during April and June, down from 130 during the same time span last year.

News of the fall in bug numbers comes after bosses at the trust, which runs Sandwell Hospital, Rowley Regis Hospital and City Hospital, launched a number of projects to fight the spread of the infections.

Dr Beryl Oppenheim, director of infection and prevention control for the trust, said: “The constant emphasis on cleanliness and hand washing along with the introduction of new initiatives has had a real impact on our infection rates and improved the experiences of our patients.”

Hospital chiefs are work-ing on a project to improve isolation facilities for all patients with a suspected or proved infection which is expected to be launched in the next few weeks.