A female A/H1N1 patient on Friday lapsed into brain death, and health authorities are currently conducting tests, trying to find whether the new flu was the direct cause, the South Korean Health Ministry said.

It came two days after a 47-year-old women died from the same virus as the 4th dead case in the country.

The patient, a Seoul resident in her 40s, was tested positive for A/H1N1 flu virus on Monday after she developed flu symptoms such as high fever and other respiratory problems, the ministry said.

She seemed to be recovering after receiving antiviral treatment, but her health conditions suddenly deteriorated and lapsed into brain death after suffering from cerebral edema and cerebral hemorrhage, the Yonhap News Agency quoted ministry officials as saying, adding that the patient is expected to be officially diagnosed as brain dead within the day.

South Korea reported its first death case from influenza A/H1N1on August 15, and the 4th case on September 2. So far the country has confirmed more than 4,200 cases since it reported its first flu outbreak in early May.

Health officials on Thursday voiced concern that the new flu may spread more widely and rapidly in this fall with the beginning of a new semester in schools, and vowed the government will take all required precautionary measures to combat the disease.

The health ministry said last week it will vaccinate 10 million people against the A/H1N1 virus within the year.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2009)