Three die in hospital salmonella outbreak

Three men have died and a fourth has been left seriously ill after an outbreak of salmonella poisoning at a Glasgow teaching hospital.

Three men have died and a fourth has been left seriously ill after an outbreak of salmonella poisoning at a Glasgow teaching hospital.

The victims were all being treated on the same medical ward at the city's Victoria Infirmary when the outbreak was detected on 2 January.

A series of tests carried out by the hospital confirmed the infection six days later and the area was immediately quarantined, with all transfers to and from the ward halted for five days, as a precautionary measure to stop the infection spreading. But it was too late for three of the elderly victims and they succumbed to the bacteria, which causes gastroenteritus, fever and severe abdominal cramps, within hours of being infected.

"Sadly, three of the patients who contracted salmonella subsequently died," said a hospital spokeswoman. "We are continuing investigations into the source of the outbreak."