C difficile has been a contributory factor in hospital deaths

The James Paget University Hospital said it had invested �1m in additional cleaning staff and updated equipment.

Nick Coveney, director of nursing and patient care, said new episodes of C diff were now extremely low.

The hospital, which was hit by the virulent 027 strain, serves people living in Norfolk and north Suffolk.

Mr Coveney said: "The C difficile outbreak is officially over. This has been agreed with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) which has congratulated us on how quickly we contained the outbreak.

"Following the actions we have taken, new episodes of C difficile are now extremely low."

The 027 strain of the bacterium caused several deaths at Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire, while more than 80 hospitals in England and Wales fought outbreaks last year.