Manchester City defender Micah Richards has been diagnosed as the first English professional footballer to have contracted swine flu.
The 21-year-old England international is thought to have been with friends in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, when he was struck down by the H1N1 strain.
He is taking Tamiflu medication and hopes to fly home on Sunday - but only once he is given a clean bill of health.
"At first I thought it was a really bad chest infection, or maybe alcohol poisoning," Richards told The Sun.
"I felt so weak that I couldn't move or eat. My friends had to bring me drinks in bed.
"When I was told I had swine flu all sorts of things started going through my mind. You see on the news people dying of it."
He added: "My club have been very understanding. I'll get some stick from the lads when I do return - they will probably all turn up to training in surgical masks."
"No-one out there is so fit and healthy they can't catch swine flu. If I can get it, anyone can."
The British government revealed on Wednesday that 9,718 cases of swine flu had been confirmed since the disease reached the country in late April - the third worst swine flu toll in the world behind the United States and Mexico.
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The 21-year-old England international is thought to have been with friends in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, when he was struck down by the H1N1 strain.
He is taking Tamiflu medication and hopes to fly home on Sunday - but only once he is given a clean bill of health.
"At first I thought it was a really bad chest infection, or maybe alcohol poisoning," Richards told The Sun.
"I felt so weak that I couldn't move or eat. My friends had to bring me drinks in bed.
"When I was told I had swine flu all sorts of things started going through my mind. You see on the news people dying of it."
He added: "My club have been very understanding. I'll get some stick from the lads when I do return - they will probably all turn up to training in surgical masks."
"No-one out there is so fit and healthy they can't catch swine flu. If I can get it, anyone can."
The British government revealed on Wednesday that 9,718 cases of swine flu had been confirmed since the disease reached the country in late April - the third worst swine flu toll in the world behind the United States and Mexico.
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