UPDATE: The Texas Department of State Health has posted its scheduled update, so the data below has been corrected. Arizona had not posted its scheduled update as of 7 pm EDT.

The Centers for Disease Control have reduced their reporting of swine flu / novel H1N1 cases to once a week, on Friday. We will attempt to keep our readers updated during the week by posting data from various state sites.

States marked in this color are those which have stopped posting their case numbers on line, or the numbers are not easily found at their site.

The Centers for Disease Control have reduced their reporting of swine flu / novel H1N1 cases to once a week, on Friday. We will attempt to keep our readers updated during the week by posting data from various state sites.

States marked in this color are those which have stopped posting their case numbers on line, or the numbers are not easily found at their site.

Here are the latest case numbers from the CDC and the various state websites for patients testing positive for swine flu or novel H1N1. State numbers may have been posted later than the CDC cutoff time of June 4 at 5 pm.

States marked in this color are those which have stopped posting their case numbers on line, or the numbers are not easily found at their site.

Despite the lack of daily reporting, it appears that the outbreak continues to grow. California has gained 212 cases in a week. Wisconsin has gained 576 cases from June 1 to June 5. Hawaii is also adding cases, though with much smaller numbers overall.

The CDC total case numbers went from 7,927 cases on May 25 to 13,217 today. That is an increase in novel H1N1, swine flu, cases of 5,290 patients in ten days. It is difficult to believe the statements coming from CDC officials that the novel H1N1 outbreak is waning.

Boston and Cambridge in Massachusetts and the New York City metro area also have very active outbreaks. Chicago and Cook County Illinois have gained 158 cases in the last week.

It is unfortunate that reporting changes do not permit following the numbers in Milwaukee and Seattle, where active outbreaks appeared to be on-going.

Here is the latest report from the CDC on cases of swine flu or novel H1N1 in the United States. All 50 states now have reported cases, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Lost cases represent the difference in case counts between the CDC and the state websites. With nearly instant communication available via the Internet, there is no reason that it should take the CDC 59 hours to update their number.

CDC web page updated June 3, 2009, 11:00 AM ET
Data reported to CDC by June 1, 2009, 12:00 AM (midnight) ET
(Updated Mon, Wed, and Fri)

Here is the CDC swine flu or novel H1N1 case count as of June 1, 2009, 11:00 AM ET. Data reported to CDC by May 28, 2009, 12:00 AM (midnight) ET.

The lost cases is the difference between the CDC count and that posted on the state sites. The CDC has begun to list the time of their data cutoff, to demonstrate why there are differences. They have also fixed the error in the California case count.

More states have limited their reporting. Washington, as an example, is only testing hospitalized patients. Other states are now reporting weekly, like Texas or Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It is difficult to measure the activity with the variations in reporting frequency. Indeed, some of these state numbers will have changed, due to a 3 pm report, before I get this post published.

That said, it is clear that Massachusetts continues to be a hotspot, as does Wisconsin. Other states with small number have seen jumps, like Mississippi.

The changes in counting process and procedure, and the increasing lack of public availability of data, suggests how these public health authorities might act in a true pandemic. The lack of openness with data and information is a fault long noted with this community of professionals. In a different outbreak, it could cost lives.