A DEADLY new superbug that has killed at least 26 patients this year has been discovered at hospitals across the North-East.

Patients have been infected with the more virulent strain of clostridium difficile at South Tees, Sunderland, South Tyneside and Newcastle, it emerged yesterday.

But last night the Department of Health (DoH) refused to reveal at which hospitals the bug had struck - a decision condemned by opposition parties.

Officials were also unable to say how many infections had been detected at each of the four North-East trusts, or whether there had been any deaths.

An inquiry has been launched by the Healthcare Commission into the spread of clostridium difficile, which is particularly dangerous to pensioners.

Until yesterday, the only confirmed cases - and deaths - had been at hospitals in Buckinghamshire, Exeter and Romford, in Essex.

The spread of the bug to the four North-East trusts, and eight others across England, was revealed in a Parliamentary answer by Public Health Minister Jane Kennedy.

It said a total of 75 positive samples had been identified by a laboratory in Cardiff, although the number of infections could be much higher.

The superbug, which causes severe diarrhoea and life-threatening inflammation of the bowel, mainly affects elderly people, although the new strain has attacked younger patients.

Last night, DoH spokeswoman Michelle Hinds said the North-East infections were isolated cases rather than an "outbreak".

As a result, she said, it was up to local health chiefs whether to reveal the hospitals affected.

The laboratory results had been sent to strategic health authorities.

Dr Richard Bellamy, a consultant in infectious diseases at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital, said: "The cases at Stoke Mandeville Hospital were all connected with a virulent strain of clostridium difficile known as 027.

"At South Tees, we have had one case of the 027 infection, but as there are different types of this particular strain itself, there is no evidence to suggest this is the same one as that at Stoke Mandeville.

"Clinicians have been asked to be vigilant to the possibility of patients with severe difficile infections.

"Fortunately, none has been identified."

A spokeswoman for the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We have had a couple of cases but there is no cause for concern."