Business is back to normal in Hannover after Steve Cherundolo and two other players missed last weekend's game one week after a reserve team game was canceled due to swine flu exposure.
"Steve will be back in training with the team on Tuesday since he is showing no symptoms of the swine flu infection," Hannover press officer Andreas Kuhnt confirmed to YA.
Cherundolo returned to Hannover late in the week after starting in the 2-1 defeat by the US in Mexico City, having spent several days in the presence of Landon Donovan who was diagnosed with the H1N1 strain in the day following the loss.
Upon learning of his exposure, Hannover immediately chose to isolate the San Diego native over the weekend rather than risk any outbreak amongst the first team, however were additionally forced to keep a pair of other players off the roster with whom Cherundolo had met prior to learning of the situation.
"Steve had met with Vinicius and Jan Rosenthal before coming to training on Friday afternoon so we told them it would be better for to stay at home as well," Kuhnt continued.
"They all had a lunch together so they have stayed at home for four days, but on Tuesday they will all be back with the team."
Without the trio, two of which - Cherundolo and Rosenthal - were expected to start over the weekend, The Reds drew disappointingly with Mainz on Saturday to continue their slow start to the season.
While the measures might have seemed overzealous, it was not without precedent as the team had already had a prior, unrelated scare with H1N1 amongst their second team in the days prior.
The infection of second-team forward Rubic Ghasemi-Nobakht led to the cancellation of Hannover II's season opener in Germany's fourth-tiered Regionalliga by the German FA, in what would have potentially been the season debut for borderline first-teamer Sal Zizzo.
"We had some of the swine flu with our second team and so we had to cancel their match one week before," Kuhnt continued.
The ripples from Donovan's infection were felt elsewhere in Germany as Michael Bradley was left off of Borussia Mönchengladbach's gameday roster for their encounter with Hertha Berlin in part because of his exposure, however a negative test result assured his time away from the team is minimal.
In addition, the delay of Jozy Altidore's return to Hull raised some questions as to whether worries about a potential exposure were in part responsible for missing the Tigers' season opener with Chelsea contrary to his own suggestion via Twitter of delays with his work permit.
The team denied that concern of infection played any role in his delay, however, remaining steadfast that the hold-up was purely a matter of bureaucracy.
"No, it's not something we were aware of," Hull press officer Brendon Smurthwaite maintained in reference to his delayed return prior to last Saturday's game.
"Patient Zero" Donovan himself recovered quickly from the illness and was able to play the second half of the Galaxy's 2-0 Saturday loss to the Seattle Sounders. |
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