But ESBL E.coli has re-emerged with a vengeance throughout the UK.

It is contracted by eating infected chicken and other food products.

Two years ago there were virtually no cases of ESBL E.coli — now some GPs are reporting SIX CASES A DAY.

Between 10 and 14pc of people who contract it die within 30 days, yet there is no known strategy to detect and treat it. According to the latest available statistics, there were around 50 cases reported in Northern Ireland in 2006.

Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase is a cousin of the E.coli bacteria found in the human gut.

One outbreak of the latter in Scotland in 1996 infected 500 people and killed 17. ESBL E.coli usually causes urinary infections but can also cause blood poisoning, gall bladder disease and kidney infections.

It is hard to detect and increasingly resistant to antibiotics. The Health Protection Agency has urged vigilance and one Belfast-based GP said: " It's in lots of food products — including chickens. Every case needs to be analysed, but one difficulty is that it is mainly picked up in the community, not hospitals."

Mr McGimpsey has given the green light to spend £9m over the next three years combating the major superbugs.

He has set new targets to reduce MRSA by 10pc and C-dif by a fifth by March 2009.

A spokesman for Mr McGimpsey insisted last night that the department was " fully aware" of ESBL E.coli and had previously issued guidance about the disease.

He said: "The guidance deals with instances of ESBL E.coli, both in hospital and in the community, covering infection control measures, screening for known ESBL positive patients and use of antibiotics."