16:01 UK, Tuesday March 22, 2005
A young mother has spoken of her shock after her two-day old baby died after becoming infected with the MRSA superbug.
Luke Day, who died in Ipswich Hospital aged 36 hours, is believed to be the youngest ever victim of the bacteria.
His parents, 17-year-old Glynis Day and 24-year-old Kevin Fenton, said he was first thought to have septicaemia.
But a post-mortem revealed he died from septicaemia caused by MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus sureus).
Glynis Day blamed the hospital for the infection.
She told Sky News: "I hope they can find a cure and pay the cleaners more so they clean the hospital properly."
"He had no symptoms or anything. As far as they were concerned Luke was just a normal healthy baby. There was no warning at all."
She said a nurse spotted that he was not well.
She said: "Then I couldn't believe how cold he was."
Luke was born an apparently healthy 7lb 7oz child.
His grandmother Cathy Day, who quit her job as a family support worker at the hospital in disgust, said the Prime Minister must act to prevent any further deaths.
She said: "We've got to make sure this terrible tragedy never happens again.
"He was fit, well and healthy."
"A baby has died from MRSA in an NHS hospital. People need to know.
"Something must be done in eradicating this terrible superbug. We do not want other families to go through the pain we have suffered over the last few weeks."
When the family went to sign Luke's death certificate they were shocked to find it did not mention MRSA.
They refused to sign the certificate until it had been changed.
A hospital spokeswoman said staff were doing all they could to get to the bottom of Luke's death.
She said tests on the ward, maternity facilities, staff and family members had found no trace of MRSA.
Health Secretary John Reid said: "Every single one of the 2,000 infant deaths in Britain is a tragedy.
"Around 2,000 children at a very early age die and on average one of those deaths is caused by MRSA and that is a tragedy.
"Our thoughts are with the family."
There were 955 MRSA-related deaths in England and Wales in 2003. The bug is resistant to methicillin and many other types of antibiotic.
Sky
Incredibly sad 