Four cases of the hospital superbug MRSA were reported in a Black Country borough last year new figures show.

Health chiefs at NHS Dudley say the numbers of the potentially fatal skin bacteria reported in 2010/2011 are down from seven during the previous year.

Cases of another bug C-diff, which produces toxins which cause diarrhoea, have also dropped by some 42 per cent.

The organisation, which covers a population of just over 300,000 people, says 251 cases were reported in 2009/2010 compared to 144 cases in 2010/2011.

In most cases C-Diff is a relatively mild illness lasting a few days. But among the elderly, it can cause serious dehydration and even death.

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