A healthcare professional has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to the deaths of eight babies and attempted murder of nine babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Lucy Letby was previously arrested in July 2018 and June last year as part of an investigation into deaths at the hospital's neo-natal unit
Ms Letby, originally from Hereford, remains in custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Hughes, who is in charge of the investigation, said: "It has been more than three years since we first launched an investigation into a number of baby deaths and non-fatal collapses at the neonatal unit at The Countess of Chester Hospital.
"In that time a dedicated team of detectives have been working extremely hard on this highly complex and very sensitive case doing everything they can as quickly as they can to identify what has led to these baby deaths and collapses."
This is the third time the woman has been arrested in connection with the unexplained deaths and non-fatal collapses in the neonatal unit between March 2015 and September 2016.
She was previously arrested in 2018 and 2019.
DCI Hughes said: "This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children.
"Due to the nature of this investigation it is extremely challenging but it is important to remember that, despite the passage of time, it is very much active and ongoing. There are no set timescales and we remain committed to carrying out a thorough investigation.
"We fully appreciate that it continues to have a big impact on all those involved - including the families of the babies, staff and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public.
"For that reason, I would urge people to avoid any commentary or speculation online or otherwise regarding the investigation itself or the identity of anyone involved as this is unhelpful and it could cause distress to the parents of the babies. It could also impact on the ongoing criminal case moving forward."
Anyone with information can get in touch via the Operation Hummingbird mailbox at operation.hummingbird@cheshire.pnn.police.uk
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