Letcher County experienced its first COVID-19-related death last week.

According to the Kentucky River District Health Department, a 72-year-old man died Wednesday as a result of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The victim was a Jenkins resident who had been hospitalized. He was laid to rest on Sunday.

In its seven-county service area, the Kentucky River District Health Department had experienced a total of five deaths, including the Jenkins resident. As of last Friday, Letcher County had 54 cases of COVID-19 with 37 of those patients having recovered from the illness.