Whooping cough hits water polo team

22 June 2012 09:30

Whooping cough is characterised by violent coughing fits

Whooping cough is characterised by violent coughing fits

The Australian women's Olympic water polo team have been quarantined with their London 2012 warm-up cancelled after two players and a coach were diagnosed with whooping cough.

Characterised by violent coughing fits the highly contagious bacterial disease was diagnosed in Melissa Rippon and Nicola Zagame at their Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) training camp in Canberra.

An AIS statement said the squad had been quarantined to minimise the risk of infection for athletes, staff and the public, adding that all the team's players and officials had been tested for the disease.

Water Polo Australia says both players will resume training next week and are not in danger of missing the Olympics. It said they would continue working with AIS health professionals to provide the best possible care for those diagnosed with whooping cough.

Although adults with whooping cough usually only suffer flu-like symptoms it can, in severe cases, cause brain damage and even death among infants, with World First offering simple screening and cost-effective medical travel insurance cover for thousands of medical conditions.

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