Is swine flu on the decline?

Hospitalizations for H1N1 and other types of flu have begun to fall in Maryland, spurring top state health officials to hope the public health problem is waning.

Data presented yesterday to the House Health and Government Operations Committee in Annapolis shows that a spike in cases in October has fallen precipitously in the past few weeks.

According to statewide surveillance data, lab positive hospitalizations for untyped or seasonal strains of flu hit a high of about 260 in the week ending on Oct. 24 with about 150 confirmed swine flu hospitalizations. Last week those numbers fell to about 70 and 10 cases,...