Another three people are confirmed to have died while being treated for new influenza A, the Korean government said Tuesday as concerns are growing that the contagious disease might be turning into a pandemic here.
The deaths came one day after five patients were reported to have died due to the H1N1 virus on Monday, the largest death report on a single day.
The dead are a 76-year-old woman, a 26-year-old woman and an 84-year-old man in Gyeongsang Provinces, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said.
The exact cause of their death including possible impact from the H1N1 virus is still under investigation, it added.
The death report came as anxiety is mounting that Influenza A is fast spreading here in South Korea. The disease has claimed the lives of 25 people here until Monday since its infection was first reported in May.
The government is scurrying to stem the spread of the disease by seeking to vaccinate 35 percent of the country's 49 million population. The first round of vaccinations started on Tuesday for those highly vulnerable to the disease including medical staff.