A meeting of the NHS Northamptonshire board yesterday there were six patients in the county with community-acquired MRSA bacteraemia in the four weeks from June 23. Another case was announced at the meeting but no further details were given.

A report stated: "There also appears to be confusion in primary care regarding the correct decolonisation cycle and treatment required."

Board members showed their concern that some staff were still not clear on how to deal with the potentially deadly superbug given that stopping it has been a Government priority for years.

Chairman Professor William Pope said: "The numbers of cases may not be large, but we take every case seriously.

"I think you could pass on something along the lines of thanks for noting that there is some confusion, but can you now fix it."

Four of the cases were identified within 48 hours of admission to Northampton General Hospital and two were identified within 48 hours of admission to Kettering General Hospital, plus the new case announced yesterday.

Dr David Brown said he didn't believe these MRSA bugs were being caused by use of wide-spectrum antibiotics because numbers of the C diff bug would also be high.

The meeting heard a Clinical Investigatory Group (CIG) had now been convened to address the issue and to minimise the risk of future cases.

High-risk patients are now being proactively screened and prescribed decolonisation treatment when necessary and a Community Infection Prevention Tool is being used by district nursing teams.

Jan Norman, NHS Northamptonshire director of safeguarding, said: "Every little thing we are doing makes a real difference."