Flu outbreak on 'Dancing with the Stars'

By Eunice Oh, People.com

Mark Ballas has started wearing a mask to avoid infecting his dance partner, Melissa Joan Hart.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Two "Dancing with the Stars" dancers fell sick with H1N1
Derek Hough got it first; said his fever was 105 degrees
Mark Ballas is wearing a mask to protect Melissa Joan Hart
Aaron Carter using hand sanitizer and Mya massages

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(People.com) -- They've tried to avoid injuries every season, but these days the "Dancing with the Stars" cast is hoping to protect themselves from the flu bug that's hit the ballroom.

"I'm living off of [vitamin drink mix] Emergen-C right now," Lacey Schwimmer said after Monday night's performance. "And though I love them, I'm also keeping my distance from Derek [Hough] and Mark [Ballas]."

Hough, who got sick and had to drop out of Monday's performance with model Joanna Krupa, said he's not 100 percent recovered but is "feeling and doing a lot better. I was in pretty bad shape last week."

"Wednesday I got home around 1 a.m. after rehearsing and choreographing [the Michael Jackson tribute]. By 3 a.m., I was sicker than a dog," Hough told PEOPLE, adding that he had a 105-degree fever.

"My whole bed was drenched because I sweated so much. I had to sleep in the bathtub. I've been sick a thousand times but something was different about this -- I literally couldn't walk or move but I eventually went to the doctor and got some IVs in my arm because I was so dehydrated."

Krupa also felt ill during the week but with the aid of "some homeopathic stuff from the doctors" her health improved. "It was a little bit of cold but thankfully I didn't get what Derek got," she said.

So how is the rest of the group fighting off the flu?

"As soon as I heard about it, I took medicine. I'm a hypochondriac -- I hate, hate getting sick. I use hand sanitizer every five seconds," explained Aaron Carter.

"I'm just trying to sleep as much as I can," said Mark Dacascos.

When Hough's pal and dancing pro Mark Ballas got sick at the same time, he made sure to wear a mask during practice with Melissa Joan Hart, while Mya said her solution was just some rest and relaxation.

"It's all about the massages," the singer said. "They get rid of a lot of toxins. Taking baths and overloading on water also helps."

"No flu shots yet," added partner Dmitry Chaplin, "but definitely a lot of vitamin C!"