Another four people died on Tuesday as a result of complications caused by an H1N1 virus infection, bringing the death toll to 21.

Earlier Tuesday, Deputy Health Minister Mihalis Timosidis said that Greece is currently in the midst of an H1N1 epidemic that is likely to continue for several more weeks, after news that the death toll as a result of the flu had risen to 17.

Six people died as a result of complications caused by an H1N1 virus infection since Monday evening, when the number of deaths stood at 15.

The minister said that health authorities were on alert and he described the measures taken to cope with the flu epidemic as adequate. He also urged members of the population at higher risk from flu to get vaccinated, even at this stage of the epidemic.

According to the Centre for the Control and Prevention of Diseases (KEELPNO) a total of 94 people have been admitted to intensive care units as a result of H1N1 since the start of the year of which 47 remain in ICUs at present.