'Harry Potter' star Rupert Grint struck with swine flu

By Rick Porter

July 5, 2009 9:03 AM

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" star Rupert Grint is recovering from a bout of the swine flu.

The 20-year-old actor, who plays Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) best friend Ron Weasley in the Potter movies, was ordered off the set of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the final installment of the series, when he was diagnosed. He received treatment and is no longer contagious, his publicist says.

"Rupert has now recovered and is looking forward to joining his fellow cast members at the premieres of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' this week and will then return to filming directly afterwards," the rep tells London's Mirror newspaper.

Filming on "Deathly Hallows," which will be released as two movies in 2010 and '11, had to be reshuffled a little during Grint's absence. The rest of the cast and crew were tested, but no one else was found to have the flu.

The virus has infected 7,500 people in the U.K., the Mirror says, and is responsible for four deaths.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" hits theaters on July 15.

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