HONOLULU -- The Hawaii Department of Health on Thursday confirmed five new cases of the swine flu or H1N1 Influenza A.

Health officials said they would discuss the cases later in the day. The latest cases raises the number of patients with the flu to 15.

Four of the cases involve school-age students who attend both private and public schools.

One of the students attends Anuenue School in Palolo, where health officials found two cases -- another student and a teacher.

Anuenue School is taking extra precautions because it is a school that prepares meals for other schools.

"We are a centralized kitchen. We feed Jarrett (Intermediate) and we also prepare meals for Liliuokalani and Lilholiho (elementary) schools," Anuenue School Principal Charles Naumu said.

The school held a meeting on Wednesday night to answer parents' questions.

Officials said anyone with concerns about the spread of the flu could opt to keep their child home. There are just a few weeks left in the school year.

Another student attends Aina Haina Elementary School.

"The child did go home from school on Monday sick and is still out at this time," Aina Haina Elementary School Principal Brendan Burns said.

The students went home Thursday with letters notifying parents of the situation. The school has been stressing healthy hygiene among students and staff.

It just got word of the positive testing on Thursday morning. Students do not have class on Friday, so parents will have the long weekend to see if any other children develop symptoms.

The Department of Education is stressing that schools will remain open.

State Sen. Mike Gabbard called on officials to be more proactive to prevent the spread and close down schools.

"Unless there is a major outbreak, I don't think schools should be closed," Burns said.

The other public school student attends Mililani Middle School, education officials said.

The last student attends a private school.

The fifth case is an adult who recently traveled to California, health officials said.