The latest flu victim on Dancing with the Stars is Lacey Schwimmer, who was hit hard by the virus on Thursday while traveling in New York with her dance partner, Iron Chef America's Mark Dacascos.
From her sickbed Sunday night, Schwimmer tells PEOPLE she's "thrilled" fellow pro Anna Trebunskaya was available to fill in at the last minute. "I have total faith in Anna. I know she and Mark will have perfect chemistry and hopefully I'll feel well enough to cheer them on backstage."
Meanwhile, Schwimmer says she hopes fans "remember to vote so Mark and I can dance next week!"
Trebunskaya received a call Friday night to sub in for what she initially thought would be one day of rehearsals. But when Schwimmer's condition worsened, Trebunskaya was asked to perform with Dacascos on Monday night's live show.
"I was supposed to help him out and train on Saturday," Trebunskaya says. "But Lacey got really sick and when she got back from New York. Filling in has definitely been a challenge."
That's because Dacascos had to learn two routines -- the samba and the paso doble, which is this week's group dance -- in two days.
"We rehearsed 12 hours Saturday and again Sunday," says Trebunskaya, who was paired earlier this season with ultimate fighter Chuck Liddell. The two were eliminated in week four of the competition.
Schwimmer is not the first DWTS professional to come down with the flu. Derek Hough and Mark Ballas were both ill this season.
Craig Sjodin/ABC
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