The number of newborns fell for the 71st consecutive month in October as deaths expanded at the fastest pace in eleven years, posting the second-largest natural population decline.

According to data from Statistics Korea on Wednesday, there were 20-thousand-736 newborns in October, down one-thousand-148, or five-point-two percent, from a year earlier.

The on-year decline of newborns continued for the 71st month since December 2015, with cumulative births through October this year standing at 224-thousand-216, down three-point-six percent from last year.

Deaths in October rose four-point-nine percent on-year to 27-thousand-783. The on-year jump is the biggest for the month since the nine-point-three-percent increase in 2010.

While citing the aging society for the increase in deaths, an official at the agency said further analysis is required to conclude the impact of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, there was a natural population decline of seven-thousand-46 in October, the second-largest since December last year. The decline continued for the 24th month since November 2019.