South Korea on Wednesday reported its 4th death case related to the A/H1N1 influenza virus.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a female patient who had been infected with influenza A/H1N1 virus died on Wednesday, raising the country's death toll from the A/H1N1 virus to four, Yonhap News reported.

The 47-year-old woman, who suffered from hypertension, diabetes and kidney failure, died of shock earlier in the day at a hospital in the metropolitan area after having contracted the disease on Saturday, the ministry said.

Unlike the previous cases, the victim showed no symptoms of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, the ministry said.

South Korea reported its first death case from influenza A/H1N1on Aug. 15, and the third case on Aug. 27.

According to Yonhap, the country reported its first new flu outbreak in April, and more than 3,700 people have been infected so far.

Health experts say the disease may spread more widely in the fall, and there is the possibility that the death toll may rise.

(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2009)