Hawaii has had 616 confirmed cases of swine flu since the outbreak here May 5, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported yesterday.

This is 151 more cases than the CDC listed last week, with the virus spreading through the community, similar to seasonal flu viruses.

The state Health Department is not putting the number of H1N1 cases in Hawaii on its Web site, but reports them to the CDC, which lists them on Fridays. The federal agency reported them a day early because of the Fourth of July observance today.

The Health Department confirmed 545 cases of swine flu Monday when it announced the death of an Oahu woman who had novel H1N1 influenza A and underlying medical conditions.

Another woman was hospitalized with swine flu on Oahu. She was released from the hospital earlier this week and is recovering at home, according to department spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

The first three Hawaii cases May 5 included a Maui resident who was hospitalized and recovered in Washington state before returning home.

No breakdown is available on the number of cases per island.