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Man with COVID-19 dies in Western Health region

A man in his 60s with COVID-19 in the Western Health region of the province died on Thursday.

A man between 60 and 69 years old died Thursday

Newfoundland and Labrador reported a new case of COVID-19, a man who died on Thursday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

A man between 60 and 69 years old with COVID-19 has died.

The man was located in the Western Health region of the province and is the province's most recent case of the virus, according to a media release issued by the Department of Health shortly after 5 p.m.

He died while in self-isolation Thursday.

The new case is travel-related. The man arrived in Canada from Central Africa on Tuesday and travelled to the province on Wednesday, according to the Department of Health.

The department said he travelled from Toronto to Halifax on Air Canada Flight 604, and from Halifax to Deer Lake on Air Canada Flight 8876.

Public health guidelines were followed.

Contact tracing by public health is underway, according to the media release. Anyone considered a close contact has been advised by public health to quarantine and call 811 to arrange for testing.

The man was pre-symptomatic during travel, said the health department.

While the risk of virus spreading from this case is considered low by the Department of Health, it's asking people who travelled on Air Canada Flight 8876 departing Halifax for Deer Lake on Wednesday to self-monitor for symptoms and contact 811 for testing.

COVID-19 update

The province's total caseload now moves to 276. There are three active cases.

Since March, 269 people have recovered from the virus. There have now been four deaths according to the Health Department, with Saturday's being the first since April 9.

Shortly before 3 p.m. NT Saturday, 43,714 people had been tested — an increase of 660 in the last day — according to the provincial government's COVID-19 website.

Shortly before the media release reporting the man's death was issued, a Department of Health spokesperson told CBC News there were no new cases of COVID-19 being reported in the province on Saturday.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador