"We are still seeing widespread disease throughout the state," said Dr. Mark Horton, state health officer. But, he said, "We have not seen increases week by week."
Fatalities and hospitalizations so far
As many as 21 H1N1-related fatalities were reported in the state last week. However, the number had narrowed down from a peak of 31 the previous week.
Other than the fatalities, 689 H1N1 related hospitalizations were reported last week. This figure was higher compared to 560 hospitalizations reported a week before the last week, but down from 773 hospitalizations reported in the Halloween week.
Of the total swine flu-related cases reported in California until now, 318 people have died from the pandemic strain and more than 6,000 have been hospitalized.
The health officials said that the pandemic flu is likely to become more lethal with the advent of the peak winter season, therefore, the H1N1 strain continues to be a major concern.
Vaccination shortage
To aggravate the concern, the swine flu vaccine shortage also continues.
California health officials had anticipated that the state would receive approximately 6.5 million doses of H1N1 vaccine by the end of October.
However, owing to manufacturing and distribution constraints, the state has received only 5.8 million doses until now.
With the present stock of swine flu vaccines, only one-fourth of the people in the priority groups, including toddlers, children, teenagers, young adults, adults with health complications like asthma and heart problems and caretakers of infants, would be covered.
"We are still seeing significant delays in vaccine moving to the state," Horton said. "There will be shortages and delays at the local level."
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