Royal baby: Superbug closes ward where Kate is due to give birth

Britain's Prince William, right, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge outside St. Mary's Hospital exclusive Lindo Wing with their first child. Photo / AP

A ward at the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge is due to give birth has been closed due to a superbug.

Kate Middleton is due to give birth at the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington.

But a ward at the hospital has been closed after several patients developed a stomach bug.

A spokeswoman for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust told the Daily Mirror: "A ward at St Mary's is temporarily not taking new admissions after we found a small number of vascular patients were carrying a micro-organism in their gut.

"Unfortunately three of these patients developed localised infections. All have completely recovered."

Eight patients are believed to have been infected with CPE (carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae).

The Duchess, 33, is due to give birth to her second child at the hospital shortly.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said her plans to give birth at the hospital have "not changed".

The Daily Mirror reported that the 20-bed Zachary Cope ward, specialising in vascular surgery, has been out of action since April 15.