CASES of E coli at the Great Western Hospital have remained at a two and a half year high for the second month in a row.

Figures released by Public Health England show that during August there were 32 cases of the bacterial infection among patients at the hospital.

This is an increase of 11 cases on the same month last year when there were 21 cases.

The spike in figures comes after the same number of cases were recorded during July of this year, marking the highest figures that PHE has on record for the hospital since being established by the government in the spring of 2013.

In June of this year there were 17 cases of the disease, and the highest point in the last 14 months after July and August was January of this year when there were 23 cases.

E coli is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestines. Most types of E coli are harmless, but there are some types that can cause sickness.

The worst type of E coli can cause bloody diarrhoea, kidney failure and even death.

Lisa Hocking, lead nurse for infection control at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said that the hospital adopted a strict procedure to prevent the transition of the infection. She said: “The number of patients coming into hospital with E coli bacteraemia, which is a bloodstream infection, remains similar to last month.

“As mentioned last month more patients are now receiving blood tests sooner. This is since we began taking blood tests from patients with signs of sepsis, as part of the internationally recognised Sepsis Six, introduced two years ago.

“These interventions are helping to reduce the likelihood of dying from severe sepsis, with around 80 per cent of patients now surviving, which is significantly better than the national average.

“We adopt strict infection control procedures to help prevent the transmission of E coli and other bacteria which often require antibiotic treatment.”

Across the country there were 37 fewer cases than last month with 3,331 cases recorded. But the statistics for August also show a rise of 97 cases on August last year.

Professor Alan Johnson, head of the Department of Healthcare Associated Infection and Antibiotic Resistance at Public Health England, said: “Surveillance data has shown a national increase in Escherichia coli bacteraemia and PHE is working with the Department of Health and the NHS to undertake more indepth surveillance on this infection and increase our understanding of the underlying epidemiology.

“PHE is also working closely with the Government Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection to identify healthcare interventions to reduce this infection.

"Tackling healthcare associated infections is a priority for PHE and across the NHS.”