Swine flu cases dropping nationwide

Reported cases of the swine flu continue to decrease, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

In a report released Friday, officials reported that the week of Nov. 15-21 was the "fourth consecutive week of national decreases after four consecutive weeks of sharp increases."

As of Friday, the nationwide rate of patients seeking treatment for influenza-like illnesses was 4.3 percent. In Nevada 2.14 percent of the population reported flu-like symptoms.

Although numbers are dropping from earlier in the season, there are still more cases this year than normal. The proportion of deaths associated with pneumonia and influenza is also higher than what is expected at this time of year. A total of 234 children diagnosed with H1N1 have died since April 2009, according to the CDC.

According to the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory, as of Thursday, Nevada had 2,437 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu and 62 probable cases. Statewide, 34 people confirmed to have had the H1N1 virus have died. Thirty of those deaths were reported out of Clark County, three in Washoe County and one in Lyon County.

Carson City has 351 confirmed cases, 20 probable cases and no reported deaths.

The Nevada State Health Department is also tracking the number of doses of vaccine administered across the state.

Public, private and tribal providers will be required to report the doses that they administer on a weekly basis.

However, some health providers have not yet reported their numbers, according to the health department.

In Carson City, there have been 18,531 reported doses, and 169,095 doses statewide.