A second person in Hawai'i who tested positive for the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, has died, a state health spokeswoman said yesterday.

However, it was not known what role swine flu played in the person's death, and if the person had other contributing health conditions.

"We did receive a laboratory confirmation today on an individual who was hospitalized and died, and that person was positive for H1N1," Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said yesterday.

"We're still waiting to get the data and background on the case. We likely will not have any details or further information until Monday."

In the earlier case, a woman in her late 60s who died at Tripler Army Medical Center on June 19 also had swine flu, officials have said.

The H1N1 virus alone did not kill the woman, health officials emphasized, but it likely contributed to her death. The woman had other multiple, serious health problems, the Department of Health said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported yesterday that the number of confirmed U.S. swine flu cases has reached 37,246 and deaths have risen to 211.

Last week, the CDC said there were 33,902 cases and 170 deaths.

Hawai'i now has 722 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus, according to yesterday's latest count by the CDC.

That's an increase of 106 from last week's CDC update.

The state Department of Health, which stopped updating Hawai'i cases on June 24, has said it expects the swine flu count to continue to rise.

Hawai'i's first cases of swine flu — a couple and a school-aged child — were confirmed May 5.

The CDC has said it believes the total number of confirmed cases — people who sought treatment and underwent testing — is just the tip of the iceberg. Officials estimate more than 1 million Americans have been infected with the virus, though many probably had only mild illness.

Swine flu is the predominant flu type circulating currently, with nine states, including Hawai'i, reporting widespread cases.

For a state-by-state count of swine flu cases in the United States, go to the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm.