Swine flu scare for Malaysia ahead of Thomas Cup

Kuala Lumpur :

Swine flu has put Malaysia's national badminton singles coach in hospital, reports said Sunday, prompting fears the virus could spread among players just a week before the world team championships.

Rashid Sidek and his five-year-old daughter were taken to hospital on Saturday after testing positive for A(H1N1) flu, National Sports Institute director Ramlan Abdul Aziz told state news agency Bernama.

The news threatens to throw the Malaysian team into disarray as it prepares for the Thomas and Uber cups -- the men's and women's world team championships respectively.

Malaysia, which won the men's title in 1992, is hosting the event from May 9 to 16.

"We have been informed by the hospital on the matter and follow-up action will be taken by the institute and the Health Ministry to prevent the spread of the disease," Ramlan said.

The New Sunday Times newspaper said a doubles player and a doubles coach are also nursing high fever, while the Malaysian Badminton Association said players will be tested for the virus.

"We cannot afford the players to be down with the virus as we have only eight days left before the event," Jalani Sidek, Rashid's brother and player at the 1992 competition, told New Sunday Times.

A total of 81 swine flu deaths have been recorded in Malaysia since the virus outbreak last year, with 36 new cases reported on Saturday according to health authorities.