In Scotland, the number of cases of C difficile being diagnosed have fallen by almost 50 per cent.

According to the latest statistics, in the last quarter of 2009 there was a 48 per cent reduction in infections in over 65s and in younger people the cases dropped by 28 per cent. There was a 26 per cent decrease in the number of people diagnosed with MRSA. Since the monitoring began, the level of C diff infection is now the lowest.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said, "I have made tackling hospital infections my top priority and today's figures clearly show that our strenuous efforts are reaping rewards.”

A patient at Perth Royal Infirmary died earlier this week after contracting the C diff hospital infection. Doctors however said that the infection was not the main cause of the patient's death.

Apart from this death, there were three other people who were also diagnosed with the infection in the elderly care ward and new admissions were closed in their ward.