A recent outbreak of the swine flu virus at English Premier League club, Bolton Wanderers, has raised concerns regarding the health of Jamaica Reggae Boy captain Ricardo Gardner.

According to Bolton manager Gary Megson, the highly contagious disease has already affected four of his players, but he remained tight-lipped regarding their identities. Megson did, however, indicate that the players had been recovering well and downplayed cause for concern ahead of the team's fourth-round Carling Cup tie against Chelsea today.

"Not from that perspective because I've heard varying opinions and I think the one we all need to listen to is that from the medical people, who are saying that it is very difficult, if not impos-sible, to contract it in that way," Megson was quoted as saying on the website telegraph.co.uk

"From our own point of view, you're not going to be a business with quite a few employees and it totally escapes you.

"You are going to get one or two with swine flu and I think on the playing staff I think we have had five, four players and one member of staff. You try and do your best to avoid it but I would imagine it's near enough impossible."

Checks made by Star Sports, however, could not immediately ascertain if Gardner was among the affected players.

"They are all OK at the moment, but it wouldn't be right to start giving you names."

Blackburn Rovers and former Bolton Sam Allardyce had announced on Monday that three of his players and two staff members had been diagnosed with what he termed as an "extremely virulent" strain of the bug.