With four new cases of swine flu confirmed yesterday, the number of cases in Hawai'i has reached 44, the state Department of Health said.

Three of the cases had no contact with anyone else who had the so-called swine flu, said Janice Okubo, department spokeswoman.

In this recently identified group, one was a Waiau Elementary School student, two are University of Hawai'i-Manoa students and the fourth is an adult who had contact with someone who had the swine flu.

The university students came down with the H1N1 influenza after the semester ended and had no contact with the student at Hale Wailani dorm who was previously identified by health officials as having had the swine flu, Okubo said.

None of the new cases required hospitalization, she said.

"We think we will continue to see a handful of cases daily," Okubo said. "Of course, we're hopeful that we will continue not to see severe cases."

The Waiau student is recovering from a mild case of flu at home, the state Department of Education has said.

The first three cases in Hawai'i — involving an Army couple and a school-aged child — were diagnosed May 5.

Two more were confirmed on May 7 and another on May 8.

Since then, the numbers have risen more dramatically. On Thursday, seven cases were reported, the most confirmed in one day in Hawai'i.