As they compete in the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, members of the USA Swimming team are recuperating from severe gastroenteritis, a team representative told NPR on Sunday.
The medical staff of the team has been “treating those experiencing symptoms and advising the team on further preventative and recovery measures,” according to USA Swimming’s senior communications director Nikki Warner. Warner didn’t specify which swimmers were affected or how the virus was spread.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acute gastroenteritis, sometimes known as a stomach bug, is a condition that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain. It can be brought on by bacteria like E. coli, parasites like Giardia, viruses like the norovirus, and specific medications or poisons.
According to the CDC, the norovirus alone is responsible for 685 million instances of acute gastroenteritis globally annually.Contaminated food or water can cause traveler’s diarrhea, a common acute gastroenteritis. IV fluids and drugs, including antibiotics, are used to treat certain types of acute gastroenteritis. What kind of gastroenteritis the USA swim team players are recuperating from is unknown.
Over the weekend, a few team members were absent from events. In order to “prioritize her efforts in the 4x100m freestyle relay,” 22-year-old Olympic gold medallist Torri Huske skipped Sunday’s women’s 100m butterfly race, USA Swimming said late Saturday on social media. The 18-year-old Olympian Claire Weinstein did not compete in the women’s 400-meter freestyle.
Huske won the silver medal in Sunday’s women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay, along with teammates Simone Manuel, Kate Douglass, and Erin Gemmell.
Manuel added, “It means a lot,” after receiving the medal. “I think the team has definitely had to be adaptable and resilient, and for us to still post a solid time and put together really good splits is something that we can be really proud of, given the circumstances we have had to deal with.”
USA Swimming members Chris Guiliano, Jack Alexy, Jonny Kulow, and Patrick Sammon also placed and won a bronze medal in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In the women’s 400-meter freestyle race, Katie Ledecky took home the bronze.
The USA swim team is “planning to race and perform to the best of our ability for the rest of the meet,” Warner added.
Through August 3, the World Aquatics Championships will continue.
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