The number of deaths nationwide in April posted the largest on-year increase for that month since records began to be compiled in 1983.

According to data from Statistics Korea on Wednesday, 36-thousand-697 people died in the country in April, up more than 46 percent from a year ago, the steepest rise for that month since record keeping began.

As a result, the natural population decline, calculated by subtracting deaths from the number of newborns, also hit a record level.

An official at the agency said that COVID-19 dealt a serious blow to the elderly amid a steadily rising death count attributed to the aging of the population.

Meanwhile the number of births in April dropped seven percent on-year to 21-thousand-124, marking a decline for the 77th consecutive month.

The resulting difference between the two figures was negative 15-thousand-573, recording a natural population decrease for 30 months in a row.

April also saw close to 15-thousand-800 marriages, edging down zero-point-four percent on-year, while divorces fell by more than 20 percent to just under 72-hundred.