21.2.13
KEELPNO, the Center for Control and Prevention f Illness released data demonstrating an outbreak of influenza at the end of winter. As of Wednesday 12 people have succumbed to the illness, three of whom were under 50 years old.
In total, 42 patients were hospitalized at ICUs, with 15 still receiving treatment. In most cases patients suffer from flu type A of the H1N1 strand that caused the 2009 pandemia scare. Most patients had not been immunized, despite being high risk patients.
According to KEELPNO scientist estimations, the flu will continue plaguing Greece for the next few weeks. The resurgence of the avian flu strand has been attributed to high risk patients not being immunized. The particular flu strand is communicable in cold climates, such as current winter conditions.
The main measures against the flu are to maintain personal hygiene, use anti-flu medicine within the first couple days of symptoms (without having to wait for medical assessment) and continue with immunization of vulnerable individuals as usual.
