ATHENS – With another 19 deaths in the last month – six in the last week – the flu death toll in Greece has soared to 141 despite warnings people should have gotten vaccinations, with many Greeks shunning them.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) reported April 18 that besides the last six fatalities that another two patients had been admitted to intensive care units at hospitals in the country.

Visits to doctors by patients with flu symptoms have decreased, however, the center said.

KEELPNO said in March that there had been a lessening of the flu, noting that fewer people were needing medical help, but as it advised people to get injections.

In February the number of serious cases was 226 with 219 treated in Intensive Care Units the agency said, and only 29 of them had been inoculated. The average age of those treated in ICUs was 58.

The union of union of Greek hospital workers, POEDIN, said the numbers were likely higher and disputed KEELPNO’s data, with fears it could keep mounting during the dangerous mid-winter period for the disease before spring.