HOSPITALS in East Lancashire have the highest rate of MRSA cases in the county, new figures show.

More East Lancashire residents got the superbug per 1,000-bed stays than in the rest of Lancashire, the Department of Health said today.

The figures are the 80th highest out of 141 Trusts in England, higher than the three other hospital authorities in the county.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust chief excecutive Jo Cubbon today said the authority had "further work to do" to combat the bug.

For every 1,000 beds in use 0.13 people got MRSA at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, Burnley General Hospital, Rossendale Hospital and Pendle Community Hospital.

This compares to 0.12 cases at the three Trusts which run hospitals in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, Morcambe Bay, and Preston Most recent figures show 25 cases, between April and September, in East Lancashire. The other three authorities recorded 22, 18 and 20 cases respectively.

East Lancashire's figures are at the lowest since records began in 2001. However, during 2001/02 the rate of cases was lower, at 0.11 and 0.12.

Just one authority which manages a general hospital in England had no cases. Brighton Hospitals NHS Trust had the highest rate at 0.41, with 69 cases.

Mrs Cubbon, said: "I continue to urge all staff, patients and visitors to treat the control of infection as an urgent priority and to play their part every day to reduce levels of infection.

"It is encouraging to see the measures we have put in place to reduce hospital acquired infections are having a positive effect."

The Trust admitted last month it was not on target to have just 50 cases by the end of 2005/06 after recording 69 cases in 2004/05.