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An outbreak of influenza, commonly known as the winter flu, has killed 12 people across the country in just one week, Greek public health authorities revealed on Thursday, Greek Reporter said.

New data from the Greek Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) also shows that a total of eighteen people have lost their lives during the 2018-2019 flu season thus far, while more than 100 are currently hospitalized, some of them in critical condition.

Out of the eighteen victims, fourteen were men and four were women, with ages ranging from 25 to 90 years old.

According to KEELPNO, younger people are now more prone to come down with a case of influenza. During the last week, the number of people aged between 0-14 years old who visited a doctor showing symptoms of the flu rose dramatically.

Out of the total of 117 serious cases of the flu recorded so far this winter, only 20 percent of the victims had been vaccinated.

Influenza kills tens of people across the country every year, mainly people with additional health conditions.

For this reason, health authorities warn people to be cautious and get a vaccination if they belong to sensitive groups, such as the elderly or workers in the health sector.