staff members and 20 patients are tested for a rare infection.

A patient and staff member have already contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) which cannot be treated with normal antibiotics.

It is believed the staff member picked up the bug from the patient who had been overseas.

A hospital spokesperson said: "All the staff have been tested.'' She added that the ward closure, which was ordered on Tuesday, was a precautionary measure. She could not say when the ward would re-open.

The staff member, who contracted MRSA, has gone home and is expected to recover from the "flu-like'' symptoms within a week. However, the bug can kill patients already weakened by illness. It is extremely rare in Bermuda.