Rio Olympian OP Jaisha Tests Positive For Swine Flu

The second Indian athlete returning from Rio to test positive for H1N1.

OP Jaisha had fainter after finishing her marathon event at the Rio Olympics. (Photo: PTI)

Olympian OP Jaisha, who returned from Rio with fever and body ache last week, has been hospitalised after she was tested positive for swine flu (H1N1), two days after another athlete Sudha Singh was found to be suffering from the same ailment.

Jaisha, who arrived in Bengaluru with fever and bodyache, has been hospitalised at the Fortis hospital at Bannerghatta, as per the information I had received so far from SAI doctors.

Shyam Sunder, Regional Director - Sports Authority of India

Jaisha had competed in the women’s marathon in Rio Olympics and had fainted immediately after crossing the finish line.

While the runner had blamed lack of water and energy drink supplies during the race for her ailment, the positive test could well explain her exhausted state following the guiling event.

However, as Sunder explained, Jaisha was very reluctant to give her blood sample for the test at the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD). She, however, agreed to give her blood samples after the state health officials convinced her, he added.

It was an arduous task to convince Jaisha to get her blood samples tested at the virology institute. She ignored our counselling and moved out of the SAI premises on August 21 after applying for leave.

Shyam Sunder, Regional Director - Sports Authority of India

Sudha Singh was the first athlete to have been tested H1N1 positive and was hospitalised on August 20. Sudha, when she arrived from Rio, was undergoing treatment and medication for suspected Zika virus. She had participated in the steeplechase competition at Rio.

In May, Sudha broke the national record in women’s 3000m steeplechase event to finish eighth in the second leg of the prestigious Diamond League Meet in Shanghai. She had qualified for Rio Games during the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships in New Delhi in April, where she clocked nine minutes 26.55 seconds.