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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Spike in Hawaii H1N1 cases expected

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Dr. Sarah Park, right, head of the Department of Health's Disease Outbreak and Control Division, says the state can expect to see a rise in the number of swine flu cases. Meanwhile, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, Health Department director, said the vaccines continue to come into the state.

JEFF WIDENER | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Hawaii Health Department officials say they expect an increase in swine flu cases in the coming weeks.

Currently, they said, the state is experiencing a lull in H1N1 flu cases.

But, Dr. Sarah Park, head of the Department of Health's Disease Outbreak and Control Division, said that isn’t expected to be the case for long.

“It looks like it’s going to start to rise very shortly,” said Park, at a news conference this morning.

She said the increase could be seen in as little as two weeks.

The Health Department said Hawaii has 104,000 swine flu vaccines allocated to the state so far.

Dr. Chiyome Fukino, Health Department director, said the vaccines continue to come into the state.

They are going to those at highest risk, including health care workers, pregnant women and children.

But she said as the vaccine becomes more readily available, everyone who wants the vaccine will be able to get it.

“We understand the frustration from the public,” she said. “The vaccines are starting to trickle into the state.”