State will update swine flu site once per week now — cases are widespread

Instead of monitoring every case of swine flu, the state Department of Health has announced they’ll focus on hospitalized patients and those who die from the disease. In a release, the Department of Health said the flu strain is “widespread in the state and around the nation” and that they’ll reduce reporting to once per week to focus on high-risk cases.

Reports will be issued on their web site on Fridays after 3 p.m. The report will only include hospitalizations and deaths.

“We expect to see more cases of this new flu strain. It’s here, and it’s in most of our communities, so it’s time to start looking for trends in high risk populations,” Secretary of Health Mary Selecky said.

Since the outbreak began, the department has received about 1,700 samples of suspected swine flu. About a quarter of those tested positive for swine flu, the department said. Most of those cases have been mild. As of Monday at 11 a.m. (the latest update), Washington had 517 confirmed and probably cases of swine flu and one death, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

But the mostly mild strain of flu doesn’t mean you should be more relaxed about personal hygiene, said Dr. Maxine Hayes, a state health officer. “It’s important to wash your hands often whether you’re sick or not, cover your cough and sneeze, and stay home if you’re sick.” She said seasonal flu kills nearly 40,000 people per year across the country, “so take this advice seriously.”