HEALTH bosses have confirmed a baby who died of a rare infection in hospital is the fourth to have contracted the condition.

It was revealed yesterday that a third baby died after being treated for Staphylococcus aureus at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

In January, the health board said two babies died and another was being treated. It is now clear the third baby was treated successfully and the latest death is a separate case.

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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is not able to state when the third baby died but it is understood not to be a recent death.

A spokeswoman said: “There have been no further cases of infection since early March in any NHSGGC hospital.”

The health board said the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman was informed within 24 hours of an Incident Management team meeting, in line with government guidelines.

The rare strain that is present in the three infant deaths is Staphylococcus aureus 11164, which has not previously been identified in Scotland and only been present in two other countries.

The health board said there are no statistics held for cases of the infection in Scotland.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “As this was an extremely rare strain which is highly resistant to the two antibiotics normally prescribed for S. Aureus and the skin cleaning agent routinely used in hospitals across the UK, we put in place a number of further infection control measures including the prescribing of different antibiotics and the introduction of a new skin cleaning agent.”

Politicians demanded greater transparency on infection outbreaks in the light of the latest death.

Read more: Two babies die in Glasgow's Princess Royal Maternity Hospital after infection

Scottish Labour health ­spokeswoman, Monica Lennon, said: “NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde must be transparent about infections, especially when patients have died.

“The Health Secretary must reassure the public and NHS staff that she has all the facts and is doing everything possible to improve infection control and safety in all of Scotland’s hospitals.”

Scottish Conservative health spokesman, Miles Briggs MSP, said: “Over recent months we have seen a lack of transparency in the way these infection outbreaks and deaths have been handled and reported.

“Patients and their families will be concerned that information was not being provided to families about what was an on-going situation, and the fact a third baby had died from the same infection.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Patients and the public deserve to have complete confidence in the quality of NHS services.

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“Following the previous cases of Staphylococcus aureus infection last month at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, frontline staff have been working hard to minimise the risk of further infections.

“A rigorous programme of staff and family screening was carried out and a number of further infection control measures were put in place.

“My view is clear and straightforward – I require all health boards to make infection prevention and control an absolute priority each and every day.”