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A small number of babies at a Belfast hospital have been found to have pseudomonas on their skin.

The infants involved were being treated in the neonatal unit of the Royal Jubilee Maternity Service.

Although the bacteria was found on their skin, it does not mean the babies were infected.

Staff have put in place infection prevention measures and carried out a deep clean of the unit.

'Reassure patients'

A spokesperson for the Belfast Health Trust said while the issue was unfortunate it wanted to reassure patients, their families and the public that the situation was being managed appropriately.

It added that every precaution was being taken to prevent further incidents.

The trust appealed to visitors to the neonatal unit to be diligent in their hand hygiene to prevent the spread of infection.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a relatively common type of infection encountered in UK hospitals but its tough nature and the severity of the symptoms it causes mean it is a priority for infection control departments.