Nineteen people, including a pregnant woman and three children, have died of influenza in Ukraine.
"I'd like to inform about 19 deaths from influenza, among them are a pregnant woman, three children, two medical workers. And none of them was vaccinated against the flu," head of the influenza and acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) department of the Ukrainian Health Ministry's Public Health Center Oksana Artemchuk told TV Channel Pryamiy.
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"According to an update for last week, the number of influenza and ARVI cases grew mainly among the adult population in Ukraine. Children were on vacation, they returned to school on Monday, so starting next week we will see a surge in flu and ARVI cases among children," she said.
Epidemic thresholds across Ukraine on the average are not exceeded, she said.
"On the contrary, we are below the threshold, it is good. However, epidemic thresholds are higher than the norm in certain regions, namely in Zhytomyr, Sumy, Odesa regions. The number of cases in those regions, especially in Zhytomyr region, is nearing an epidemic," she added.
A mere 0.4% of Ukrainians were vaccinated against influenza. Flu vaccination is not mandatory in Ukraine.
