SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 27: George Burgess of the Rabbitohs looks dejected after losing the round 15 NRL match between the Wests Tigers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Bankwest Stadium on June 27, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Former Rabbitohs star George Burgess has confirmed he and his wife have contracted COVID-19 in England.

The Englishman departed South Sydney at the end of 2019 to play for Super League team Wigan Warriors.

However, the Rabbitohs premiership-winning forward revealed earlier this month he'd cut ties with the English club after just eight appearances due to an ongoing hip issue.

It requires a a seven-month month rehabilitation program, threatening to end the 29-year old's career as he prepares to undergo surgery.

And Burgess has been thrown another curveball, revealing on SEN radio things that he and his wife are quarantining after catching the coronavirus.

“You’ll never believe it, we’re halfway through quarantine at the minute because I’ve got COVID, along with my wife Joanna,” Burgess said on SEN's Breakfast with Vossy.

“We’ve both got COVID. So we’re stuck at home for 10 days which is what the protocols are over here.

“That’s what we’re dealing with at the minute. Three kids under three (years old) in a small house in the north of England.

“I had a few symptoms early on but we’re sort of at the back end of it now so I’m OK. I had some shortness of breath, bit of a cough, normal flu symptoms really.

“It’s not great, it’s not something you want to get.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 22: George Burgess of the Rabbitohs is tackled during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Burgess explained that his hip condition affected him during his time at South Sydney and he had hoped it would improve at Wigan.

But it continued to get worse early last year, causing him to cut his training loads back.

Now, Burgess finds himself uncontracted and facing a long road ahead to get back to playing rugby league again.

“I had it my whole time at Souths, obviously it was managed a few different ways,” he said.

“Over the years it got worse gradually. I thought going to Wigan I could get it right but it’s not been great.

“Last year when we first went into that first lockdown it started to deteroriate, with not being able to do my normal training.

“It’s one of those hard decisions you make in life but I thought it was the right one in the end.”

Burgess played 150 NRL games for the Rabbitohs from 2012-2019, claimingDally M Rookie of the Year honours in 2013.