South Korea reported its 9th A/H1N1death case on Friday.

According to Ministry of Health and Welfare, an 81-year-old female patient from South Jeolla province died earlier in the day, bringing the country's death toll from the new virus to nine.

The patient has long suffered from lung disease and cerebral infarction, and was confirmed infected with the virus on September 3.

The health authorities are currently carrying out medical investigation, trying to find out the exact cause of her death.

South Korea reported its first death case from A/H1N1 flu on August 15, and the 8th on September 15. Another female A/H1N1 patient lapsed into brain death on September 4.

The country reported its first new flu outbreak in early May, and a total of 9,968 cases of the flu infections were confirmed across the nation as of September 13.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2009)