Broncos player has swine flu, 6 others quarantined

Associated Press ,  Brisbane   |  Mon, 06/08/2009 9:14 AM  |  World

A Brisbane Broncos player in the topflight National Rugby League has tested positive to swine flu and six teammates - including Australia captain Darren Lockyer - are being quarantined.

The club announced Monday that forward Ben Hannant contracted the illness after playing for Queensland in last Wednesday's State of Origin match against New South Wales in Melbourne. Queensland won the match 28-18, the first in the three-match annual interstate series.

In keeping with Queensland Health regulations, the team said the players - including club, state and national captain Lockyer - would be quarantined for 72 hours and had taken Tamiflu medication as a precaution.

The other Brisbane players - Israel Folau, Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday, the injured Justin Hodges and New South Wales halfback Peter Wallace - did not train on Monday, but they were in attendance and Lockyer confirmed to local media that they had been quarantined.

Brisbane lost 48-4 to Melbourne Storm in Melbourne on the weekend.

The Broncos play their next NRL game on Friday at home against the Sydney-based Bulldogs.

On the weekend, the number of confirmed swine flu cases in Australia rose above 1,000, more than triple the number just one week ago, the health department said. The vast majority of the cases - 874 - were in the southern state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital.

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