From left, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe at the London opening of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (Sang Tan/Associated Press)

British actor Rupert Grint, best known for his role as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, is recovering from a bout of the H1N1 swine flu virus.

"It has just been confirmed that Rupert Grint has taken a few days out of filming due to a mild bout of swine flu," publicist Christian Hodell revealed on Saturday.

"He has now recovered and is looking forward to joining his fellow cast members at the junket and premieres this week and will then return to filming directly afterwards."

She said Grint's doctor gave the actor the green light to go back to work and that he was no longer at risk of infecting others.

The World Health Organization said this week that worldwide cases of the respiratory illness surpassed 77,000, with at least 332 deaths.

In Canada, the H1N1 influenza A virus has killed 25 people and infected 7,893 people so far.

However, most people come down with a mild case of it and require no medical treatment.

Hodell said the absence didn't delay work on the latest Harry Potter movie. "Other scenes were shot in his absence which did not require his involvement and thus filming was not disrupted."

The 20-year-old actor is filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in J.K. Rowling's popular series.

Grint will be seen on screen soon in the sixth movie adaptation of Rowling's books. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be released mid-July.