A FIFTH confirmed case of the MRSA superbug has been discovered at Southampton General Hospital.

The hospital's cardiac intensive care unit remained closed today while staff battled to contain and treat the cluster of cases.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, hospital bosses were forced to shut the eight-bed ward on Tuesday afternoon after two patients were found to have contracted the bug.

Another two cases were already being treated in side rooms attached to the main ward.

Now a fifth person has been diagnosed with MRSA - along with a sixth person who is also suspected of having the infection.

The unit remained closed to non-emergency cases today while infection control staff worked to contain the outbreak.

Marilyn Kay, spokeswoman for Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The cardiac intensive care unit remains closed to new elective admissions because of a cluster of MRSA cases.

"There are now five confirmed cases and one suspected case on the unit.

"They are all receiving appropriate treatment and care, and rigorous infection control measures are now in place.

"We will ensure the unit can still safely take emergency admissions if required.

"In the meantime, non-emergency cardiac patients who need post-operative care will be looked after in our cardiac high dependency unit.

"We will review the situation on Monday."

Four people were screened as possible carriers after four MRSA cases were identified earlier this week.

MRSA - methicillin-resistant staphyloccocus aureus - is passed on by hand and can cause fever, blood poisoning and pneumonia if left untreated.

It can also kill people with weak immune systems.