MEDICAL experts are conducting urgent tests to investigate claims that traces of MRSA were found throughout the hospital where a two-day-old baby died after contracting the superbug.

MEDICAL experts are conducting urgent tests to investigate claims that traces of MRSA were found throughout the hospital where a two-day-old baby died after contracting the superbug.

Television station Sky News yesterdayclaimed to have discovered evidence of the bug in a number of places within Ipswich Hospital, including on the maternity ward where baby Luke Day died nearly two months ago.

It follows similar investigations conducted by national media, which reported high levels of MRSA being found at the hospital, despite the recent tragedy.

But Dr Philip Jones, a senior microbiologist at Ipswich Hospital, said last night he could not accept the findings.

He said experts from the Health Protection Agency would be conducting tests for MRSA at the hospital next week while internal tests are being carried out at the spots highlighted by the media investigations.

The Sky News investigation found high levels of MRSA on swabs taken from a corridor pay phone, a hospital trolley and in the men's toilets.

Low levels of the bug were also found in the lifts and on the maternity ward, while a sample taken from the urology laboratory was negative.

But Dr Jones said: "I don't accept these findings at face value - it would be wrong to do so.

"There are systems for validation and I have seen no evidence of that. If these tests can be proved I would be the first to accept it. But these reports are doing unjustifiable damage to the hospital.

"We are very happy for tests that are appropriate to be done at the hospital and we have nothing to hide.

"We are currently doing tests ourselves and the results of these tests will be made available. We are also going to have a team from the Health Protection Agency coming to visit to do tests."

He added: "We have looked at the [media] reports and tested the same areas. The results should be ready during the weekend."

Reacting to the Sky News investigation, baby Luke's father, Kevin Fenton, 24, from Woodbridge, said: "I'm not surprised - I believe it proves MRSA is still there and it's still a worry for anyone who goes into the hospital.

"They have had plenty of time to get it out of the ward. I lost my little boy and I don't want anyone else to go through that."

He added: "I don't think I could ever go back to the hospital again. Why don't they come out and tell us the truth?"

Luke, who is believed to be the youngest victim of the bug in Britain, died on February 3 from septicaemia caused by MRSA.

His family refused to sign his death certificate until MRSA was recorded on it.

Following Luke's death, the East Anglian Daily Times launched a Stamp Out MRSA campaign, which calls on the Government and NHS trusts to do more to eradicate the bug.

Dr Jones added: "We have done a great deal since the death of baby Luke and we are continuing to do a great deal.

"We have expended an awful lot of time and effort and trying to find out the source of the MRSA and have been very honest and said we haven't found that source.

"We took more than 100 samples and tested more than 60 members of staff and we have not found any traces of MRSA. Further tests are underway and we are trying to be as open and honest as possible."