A WARD at a Kent hospital has been closed and two patients have been put into isolation after becoming infected with the superbug Cdiff.

The outbreak has led to hospital bosses at the Medway Maritime Hospital at Gillingham closing Phoenix ward.

Cdiff – or clostridium difficile – is a deadly diarrhoea bug. There was an oubreak at Maidstone Hospital earlier this year.

Admissions to the ward have been redirected to other parts of the hospital.

The intensive care unit is also closed for maintenance and specialised cleaning, but this is not because of an outbreak of infection.

A spokesman for the hospital said: “Phoenix ward will remain closed until all infection control criteria have been satisfied.

"This is in line with normal good practice. The two patients who have been identified as infected with Cdiff are in isolation under strict medical management and the situation is being monitored.”

She added that the intensive care unit was due to reopen shortly.