Significant concern arises from the death of a 54-year-old man who was hospitalized in a private clinic and succumbed to laboratory-confirmed flu, raising the total number of victims this epidemic season to 13.
As stated to KYPE by the Deputy General Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Elisavet Konstantinou, this particular case is an exception, as until now, deaths primarily involved elderly individuals over 80 years old with severe comorbidities. The death of the 54-year-old clearly shows that the flu has now “broken” the age barrier. Dr. Konstantinou clarified that it was a flu-related admission, noting that the final cause of death will be confirmed after full data entry into the World Health Organization’s system.
She also mentioned that the last six deaths were recorded within a few days, with five occurring over the weekend and one yesterday, highlighting the intensity of the epidemic at levels higher than last year. However, the case of the 54-year-old serves as a wake-up call, with health authorities reminding that flu can prove serious at all ages, especially when diagnosis is delayed or symptoms are underestimated.
