KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - With a decrease in the number of H1N1 cases being reported, you may think the flu epidemic is over. But local health leaders say that's not the case.

We talked with the Knox County Medical Director who says if you haven't been vaccinated, you should, because we could be on the verge of the virus starting up again.

For four weeks in a row, health officials say no states have reported widespread H1N1 flu activity.

"So we are seeing the number of cases go down, the number of hospital visits, number of outpatient visits are all going down," says Dr. Martha Buchanan, Knox County Medical Director. She says cases locally are decreasing as well.

"Those are all really good signs but I don't think we can say for sure that everything is over, yet."

Since September, The TN Department of Health says 57 Tennesseans have died from the virus: 44 adults and 13 children.

"As cases go down, the number of people that die and the number of people that end up in the hospital also goes down, and that's good news, that's great, but it doesn't mean we might not have little flurry again," says Buchanan, who adds we could see a third wave of H1N1 late this month or early March.

"Certainly, flu activity is still out there, and the flu activity in TN is all H1N1."

The Knox County Health department alone has given close to 50,000 H1N1 vaccines. But the number of people coming to get the vaccine has decreased.

"We're not quite there yet, so if everybody will get vaccinated now, that will decrease the chance we have that third wave," says Buchanan.

Almost 70 million Americans have been vaccinated against the virus since October. If you haven't had yours, you still have time to get one.

"There's plenty of vaccine available, we still have vaccine, drug stores still have vaccine, doctors offices still have vaccine. so get out there, get vaccinated and lets make sure we don't have a third wave."

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