As the total number of swine flu cases in the Islands climbed to 40 yesterday, state officials reiterated calls for residents to stay home when they're sick, while reassuring travelers that measures are being taken to contain the virus.

"Swine-origin influenza is in our community. However, all indications at this time are that this novel flu is behaving very much like the seasonal flu," state Health Department Director Chiyome Fukino said in a news conference.

She said the message to residents is simple: Anyone with a 100-degree fever, sore throat and cough should stay home.

The news conference was held as the state is seeing a big drop-off in arrivals from Japan, as visitors decide to forgo vacations for fear of catching the flu. Japanese arrivals have decreased 20 percent to 30 percent in recent weeks, compared with the same time last year, and state tourism officials said they are working hard to lure visitors back.

"Once their concerns abate a little, then we will be there working with our travel partners and encouraging travel back to the Islands," said state tourism liaison Marsha Wienert, adding that the flu has not affected domestic arrivals to Hawai'i.

Wienert added that it's not just Hawai'i that's been affected by the decline in Japanese travel. Other favorite vacation spots have also seen big dropoffs in visitors.

"They're not traveling," she said, of the Japanese.

Wienert said she expects travel to bounce back once the flu concerns subside.

The state also yesterday addressed concerns about flu cases at schools, saying school closures are not being considered and won't work in containing the virus.

"At this time, school closures are not recommended," Fukino said.

Seven new cases of the flu were confirmed in the Islands yesterday — the highest daily total since the Health Department started issuing weekday updates on cases on May 13. Fukino said four of the cases are children who came into contact with someone who was sick. The remaining cases are adults, including one resident who traveled recently.

The state Department of Education said that of the seven confirmed yesterday to have swine flu — or the H1N1 virus — two attend public schools. One is a Mililani Middle School student, and the other goes to Waiau Elementary School, a DOE news release said.

So far, 18 of the swine flu cases in Hawai'i have been directly connected to public schools. The most cases have been seen at 'Anuenue School in Palolo, where 10 children and one adult have gotten sick. Information on cases at private schools is not available.

SCHOOL STAY OPEN

Fukino reacted to calls from some parents and teachers to close public schools that have seen H1N1 cases, saying school closures won't work in stopping the flu and present economic hardships to families.

"If school closures are going to work, it means everybody has to stay home," she said. Instead, a school closure would likely result in children congregating in closer groups at shopping malls, daycare centers or other places.

Meanwhile, Fukino defended the flu monitoring programs at state airports, saying passengers can show no symptoms and still be sick so it makes no sense to increase screening. The airports, she added, "were never meant to be an iron gate."

Hawai'i airports currently rely on a system that requires airline crews to identify potentially ill passengers, who are then screened once they land. Fukino said the state is closely watching a program recently instituted in Japan, which requires incoming arrivals to be screened for illness. The country has seen nearly 300 cases of swine flu so far.

JAPAN TAKES STEPS

In addition to the tough screening measures at airports, Japan has closed schools, required some people to wear masks and sanitize their hands and started putting public service announcements on national television asking people to stay calm but vigilant.

To date, there have been 11,034 confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide.

As of yesterday, some 5,764 cases were confirmed in the United States.

The flu has killed about 85 people worldwide, nine of whom died on the Mainland.

State health officials said only one of the Hawai'i flu cases required hospitalization. That involved a Maui man who traveled to the Mainland and got sick. He recovered while still on the Mainland, officials said.

All of the other Hawai'i cases have been on O'ahu.

And only four have involved people who have recently traveled, officials said.