KIEV, Dec. 19 - Ukraine’s freezing winter has taken the lives of 24 more people pushing the overall death toll to 61 in December after temperatures fell below minus 23 degrees Celsius.

The cold snap, which included almost half a meter of snow, killed 43 people on the streets, nine in homes and another nine in hospitals, a senior Health Ministry official said on Wednesday.

"Today everyone who has come for help has received that help,” Press TV reported citing Prof. Georgy Kozynets, a representative of the Healthcare Ministry.