AN ELDERLY patient has died following a deadly superbug outbreak at a Dartford hospital.

Seven cases of virus Clostridium difficile have been found in Livingstone Hospital, in East Hill, in the last two months alone.

Of the six other patients who contracted the bug two more have died, but, according to NHS West Kent, which manages the facility, post mortems revealed their deaths were due to other non related causes.

The 30-bed hospital, which specialises in rehabilitative care for older people, is now closed to admissions while a deep clean and infection control procedures are carried out.

Steve Phoenix, chief executive of NHS West Kent, said: "I am disappointed we have this infection at the Livingstone which has had a very good record of providing excellent care and would like to reassure the public that the staff have been working very hard to stop the infection spreading and their sustained effort will continue. We are working closely with both our infection control team and our colleagues from the Kent Health Protection Unit."

Ninety people died in hospitals run by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust between 2004 and 2006 when C-diff outbreaks ravaged wards.