Index: comment.php
===================================================================
--- comment.php	(revision 14192)
+++ comment.php	(working copy)
@@ -1348,7 +1348,8 @@
 	do_action('wp_set_comment_status', $comment_id, $comment_status);
 	wp_transition_comment_status($comment_status, $comment_old->comment_approved, $comment);
 
-	wp_update_comment_count($comment->comment_post_ID);
+	if($status == '1' || $comment_old->comment_approved == 1) // then a comment has changed to/from approved
+		wp_update_comment_count($comment->comment_post_ID);
 
 	return true;
 }