by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen people in Greece have lost their lives this winter as a result of the seasonal flu virus, while the measles epidemic has grown to almost 2,000 reported cases, according to the Greek Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO).

The lives of eleven people have been claimed in the past month, according to the latest data. None of the 17 victims had been vaccinated, although 15 of them belonged to population segments at high risk of complications, local newspaper Ta Nea reported on Friday.

According to KEELPNO experts, the victims were between 30 and 86 years old.

Only 10 percent of the 71 confirmed influenza cases that have been hospitalized from November to early March were inoculated, they noted.

In the previous flu season from December 2016 to June 2017, 108 people died of flu complications in Greece, according to the official data.

KEELPNO experts urged Greeks, in particular patients suffering from chronic health issues, to get vaccinated against the flu as well as the measles.

KEELPNO has recorded 1,976 cases of measles from May 1, 2017 until March 4, 2018, according to a press statement.

Most cases (1,263), as well as the two casualties so far, concerned Greek Roma children. Many cases also concerned Greeks aged 25 to 44, who were not properly immunized against measles, KEELPNO scientists said.

Nine out of ten cases had not been vaccinated or were inadequately vaccinated. Six out of ten patients needed to be hospitalized.