Swine flu spreading widely in New England

By Stephen Smith, Globe Staff

While swine flu appears to be abating in many states, the novel virus is causing an increasing level of respiratory illness in New England and elsewhere in the Northeast, federal disease trackers reported this afternoon.

The new leader of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas Frieden, said it was unclear why the Northeast corner of the country was experiencing a higher level of transmission. "Influenza is one of -- if not the most -- unpredictable infectious diseases," said Frieden, formerly the top health officer in New York City. A nationwide network of doctors and medical clinics provide regular snapshots of the virus' spread.

As of today, 1,153 cases of the disease had been confirmed through laboratory testing in Massachusetts, although disease specialists said they suspect that is only a small fraction of the total. So far, 80 patients have been so ill that they needed to spend at least one night in a hospital. More than three-fourths of the confirmed cases in the state have been reported in children and young adults.

Meanwhile, a Boston.com survey of health department and newspaper web sites in the other five New England states has revealed that in New Hampshire the State Department of Public Health is reporting there have 122 confirmed cases in that state as of June 10.

The breakdown of case numbers for the 10 counties in the state showed that Hillsborough and Rockingham counties have both recorded 46 cases each.

Thirteen cases, meanwhile, have been reported in Merrimack County, six in Grafton, four in both Cheshire and Strafford Counties. There have been no cases recorded in Coos and Strafford counties.

In the state of Vermont, the survey showed, the state Department of Public Health recorded 31 positive cases of the H1N1 influenza A Virus. The department said that 450 clinical samples had been analyzed. The 31 positive cases in Vermont were among 17 cases confirmed by laboratory tests over the last several days.

In Rhode Island, the state's Department of Health in a press release on Tuesday said there have been 39 confirmed positive cases recorded in their state and observed the department has seen an increase in sporadic cases and outbreak clusters throughout the state, including in schools.

Data released on Wednesday by the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services showed the current case count in that state was 30 confirmed, with one other probable. Cumberland County was the hardest hit area in Maine with 17 cases recorded.

In Connecticut, a story posted on the Waterbury Republican American website today revealed that as of Wednesday, there had been 637 cases reported by the state's Department of Public Health. The heaviest concentration was in Fairfield County, where there have been 359 cases reported.

John C. Burke of the Boston.com staff contributed to this report, with additional reporting from the Associated Press.