Another 30 people have died of cold in Ukraine during the past 24 hours, bringing to 801 the number of deaths since mid-January, the health ministry said Wednesday.
A total of 9,581 people have sought medical attention and 4,992 of them have been hospitalized for hypothermia since a cold wave first hit Ukraine on January 16, the ministry said in a statement.
The majority of the victims were homeless people, most of whom had already died by the time they reached medical facilities, it said.
A first cold snap hit Ukraine on January 16 and lasted more than a week in some parts of the country.
A new cold wave set in Sunday with temperatures of minus 31 degrees Celsius (minus 24 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of the country. Forecasters expect the cold weather to last until Friday in some regions.
Source: Agence France-Presse
