Badgers Football Team Hit By Flu

Wisconsin Plays Fresno State Saturday

Updated: 5:24 pm CDT September 9, 2009

The University of Wisconsin Badgers play Fresno State Saturday at Camp Randall, but just who will be playing became a real question Tuesday as a flu outbreak appears to be spreading.

The Badgers indicated that at least 10 football players are battling flu-like symptoms, but it's unclear if it is the H1N1 virus.

"Some have already had (flu-like symptoms) and some are getting symptoms and going through it right now. Everyone responds a bit different," said Badgers head football coach Bret Bielema.

"We've had talks with our student athletes about this and we felt it was coming with everyone coming back to school," said Dennis Helwig, head of sports medicine for UW-Madison.

The flu symptoms were first noticed with the swim team, and it has spread throughout campus. But UW-Madison medical staff members continue to follow protocol.

"(They should take) lots of fluid and make sure they are not in contact with anyone else to limit the spread. We ask that they are without a fever before they come back in," Helwig said. "I don't know what's in the pipeline and, quite frankly, for us to know what it is doesn't matter because we are all going to have to treat it the same way anyway."

"We have to approach our daily preparations like we do Saturday. If your name is called, then you have to go on point. As coaches we have to know what we can do and allow the kids to go with limited practice time," Bielema said.

UW-Madison is not releasing of overall H1N1 cases, but it is releasing the number of cases treated at University Health Services.

Through Sept. 5, 198 students were evaluated for flu-like symptoms. Of the cases tested so far, 81 percent are positive for H1N1.

Officials said 81 percent of those affected live off campus, with 19 percent living in residence halls.

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