About 70 to 80 hospitalizations were reported in each of the past two weeks - the most since September, when a large wave of illnesses was hitting the South. The Georgia Department of Community Health released the new numbers Wednesday.

However, no significant increase in deaths or overall reports of flu-like illness has been reported in the state or nationally. And health officials say there's no evidence that the virus has mutated to a more dangerous form or that a new wave of swine flu cases is beginning.