OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma is preparing for a widespread outbreak of the swine flu but still has a long way to go before it’s ready to deal with an epidemic, the state’s top health official said.

As of Wednesday, Oklahoma had recorded 190 cases of swine flu and one death during the recent global outbreak, including 26 new confirmed cases in the past week.

“If we were to have a full-blown outbreak tomorrow that ran rampant in the state would we be prepared? I would say no,” Dr. Terry Cline, the state’s new health commissioner, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “I would say there is much work to do at this time of the year to prepare for flu season.”

The continued spread of the disease this summer indicates it has characteristics “that are very troubling,” said Cline, a psychologist who took over his new post June 30.

“The persistence of this throughout these warm-weather months is very concerning because we typically don’t see influenza at all this time of year,” he said.

“Does that portend for a very, very difficult flu season? I can tell you, it makes me nervous,” Cline said. “We need to be as motivated and as prepared as possible. I think we’re in high gear.”

Last month, the World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic, the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. Last week, the organization reported nearly 95,000 cases of swine flu worldwide including 429 deaths.

Most who have the disease experience symptoms of fever, coughing, a sore throat and body aches that are consistent with other flu viruses.

In Oklahoma, 60 percent of patients infected with the disease have been 18 or younger, including school students. Cline said that means health care professionals must work closely with local schools and superintendents to quickly report suspected illness and monitor its spread.

“We need to have a very strong partnership with our schools. They may well be at the epicenter of any kind of outbreak that occurs,” Cline said.

In recent years, state health officials have experimented with ways to quickly vaccinate large numbers of Oklahomans against the flu. In November 2006, more than 1,700 motorists and their passengers were immunized in 2 1/2 hours during a drive-through influenza clinic sponsored by the Oklahoma City-County Health Department.

Cline said the state Department of Health is seeking federal grants to extend the state’s surge capacity and increase its ability to provide flu shots when and where they are needed.

“How much capacity they have to surge is the question at this point,” Cline said. “This is not following any typical pattern. This is really unexpected, so we’re still learning about this.”

State officials plan to begin administering doses of the swine flu vaccine this fall. However, the WHO has said a fully licensed vaccine may not be available until the end of the year.

In the meantime, Cline said Oklahomans should practice general hygiene to prevent further spread of the disease such as covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing and regular hand washing, especially after shaking hands.

“Things your mother told you,” Cline said. “These are things we can all do to protect ourselves and to protect our families. Now is the time to start.”