Cheryl Cole Struck Down With Malaria After Tanzania Trip

British singer and X-Factor judge, Cheryl Cole has been hospitalized after contracting malaria. Cole was surprised by Dancing With The Stars dancer Derek Hough who she is rumored to be dating with a holiday to Tanzania last month, as a break for the hard working singer. Cole collapsed during a photo shoot in London on Saturday, and she was first diagnosed with exhaustion. She told her doctors she has been suffering from stomach cramps since she returned from her holiday, and she was then diagnosed with catching the mosquito-borne illness malaria.

A source spoke about Cole’s illness:

“She told doctors she’d had stomach pains since her return from Tanzania. On Sunday evening her condition deteriorated so rapidly she knew it was something serious. She’d spent 48 hours in bed trying to sleep off what she thought was a stomach bug. She was extremely weak, sweating and drifting in and out of consciousness. She was driven to hospital where tests showed malaria. Everyone is really concerned. She is very ill.”

Cheryl had taken malaria medication before going on the trip, and it is suspected that she was bitten by a mosquito who had a strain of malaria that is immune to the medicine. A source close to Derek says that he is very upset over Cheryl’s illness:

“He’s mortified by what’s happened and is utterly devastated at what she’s going through – not least because it happened on a trip he’d planned. It’s such a shame as she had such a lovely holiday with Derek and has such lovely memories of it. He is worried sick about her. He’s sticking close by her bedside and trying to keep her cheerful. He’s probably the best tonic she’s got right now. “

Cheryl is expected to stay in hospital for several days, and will be released if her condition improves.