State confirms 12 new H1N1 cases

* Statewide, a total of 89 people have the swine flu illness.

The Indiana State Department of Health on Wednesday announced 12 new confirmed cases of the novel H1N1 "swine" flu across the state, including three more cases in Lake County and one new case in Porter County.

Lake County now has 40 of the state's 132 confirmed cases, which is second only to Marion County in overall cases. Lake County still has the state's highest per capita rate of H1N1 cases at 8.1 per 100,000 people, while Marion's 69 cases equates to a 7.8 per 100,000 rate.

Lake County Health Department officials have not returned phone calls from the Post-Tribune.

Porter County's new case brings that county's total to five confirmed cases.

Of the cases statewide, the vast majority of those stricken (89 people) are between the ages of five and 24. Children 4 years old and younger are second on the list at 23 cases, while those between 25 and 64 years old rank third with 19 cases.

Only one person 65 years old or older has been confirmed with the virus, which is different than the regular seasonal flu virus -- which typically spread among the oldest and youngest members of the population -- killing about 36,000 people a year on average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thus far, no Indiana residents have died from complications associated with the H1N1 flu virus, but there have been six people hospitalized with H1N1 cases since April 20, including one that was just reported for the first time on Wednesday morning.