South Korean health authorities on Saturday announced two more fatality related to A/H1N1 influenza infection, bringing the country's death toll to 18.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a seven-year-old boy died on Friday after infecting with A/H1N1 flu virus.

The boy, a resident of the capital Seoul, was admitted to hospital earlier this month after showing signs of pneumonia, and was tested infected with the new virus on October 5. He received anti-viral treatment, and died of acute respiratory distress syndrome on Friday.

The ministry said the boy had been confirmed as a flu-linked death case following an epidemiological study.

On the other hand, the ministry said a 75-year-old female patient who died of respiratory difficulties on Friday was also an A/H1N1 virus-related death case after health authorities' medical analysis.

The country reported its 16th death case related to the new virus on Friday. The victim is a 53-year-old male patient, who was hospitalized in a small clinic on October 2 after a traffic accident, but was moved to a larger hospital after showing signs of pneumonia. He had been receiving treatment for acute myocardial infarction and acute respiratory distress syndrome, and died of shock early Thursday, according to the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2009)