Death toll from flu since October rises to 56

The number of lives claimed in Greece by the H1N1 flu virus since October has risen to 56, according to a weekly report issued on Thursday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO).

The center said that there were 17 deaths between February 4 and 10.

Of the 56 people that have died – 39 men and 17 women – 49 had been in intensive care units.

So far 226 serious cases have been reported, with 219 treated in ICUs.

Only 29 of those 219 people treated in intensive care had been vaccinated.

The average age of those treated in ICUs was 58.

On Wednesday, the union of Greek hospital workers, POEDIN, decried what it described as KEELPNO’s inaccurate data, saying that the number of casualties could be higher.