Coroner blames MRS A.

Byline: By NIALL O'CONNOR

A CORONOR'S court yesterday recorded the country's first verdict of death by MRSA infection.

The inquest into the death of Valentine Ryan, 74, from Willow Bank, Carrigaline, Co Cork, who died on April 25, 2002, heard he suffered renal failure and a heart attack.

But kidney specialist Dr Liam Plant had certified that death was due to renal failure and MRSA septicemia.

Cork city coroner Myra Cullinane ordered that deaths due to hospital infections must be reported as such.

Members of the MRSA and Families Network welcomed the ruling.

The hospital-acquired bug is particularly lethal for elderly surgical patients.