Most victims of the novel coronavirus spreading across South Korea have been elderly patients aged 80 and above, with the virus estimated to have claimed the lives of around 1 in 6 patients in the age group, data showed Monday.

The mortality rate of COVID-19 patients aged 80 or older stood at 17.51 percent as of Sunday, compared with an average fatality rate of 1.59 percent for all infections, according to the data compiled by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The figure for senior patients has been increasing sharply in sync with the rising number of infections, after standing at 3.7 percent on March 2.

So far, the age group has accounted for half of the COVID-19 deaths here.

South Korea has confirmed 9,583 infections as of Sunday, with the total number of deaths reaching 152. Victims aged 80 and above accounted for 76.

The mortality rate of elderly people is likely to continue growing down the road, according to the health authorities.

The rate is currently estimated at 6.77 percent for those in their 70s and 1.74 percent for those in their 60s.

So far, the virus has not yet claimed the lives of patients in their 20s and below here.

By gender, the mortality rate for men reached 2.05 percent, hovering above that for women at 1.28 percent. (Yonhap)