Third Aboriginal Elder dies from COVID-19 in less than two weeks

The man in his 60's was from Dubbo and passed away in Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

An Aboriginal man in his 60's died in Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital after contracting COVID-19. Source: SBS News

Three Aboriginal Elders from Western New South Wales have died from COVID-19 in under a fortnight as the infections in the region grow to almost 900.

NSW Health said the man in his 60's was unvaccinated and had "some significant underlying health conditions."

He was from Dubbo but died in Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. 

The news comes just two days after confirmation of the death of a woman in her 70's from the remote town of Enngonia in Dubbo Hospital. In late August, an Aboriginal man in his 50's also died at the hospital from the virus.

State Member for Dubbo, Dugald Saunders passed on his condolences.

"Our thoughts are with the man's family and friends and the entire community at this time," he said.

There were 27 new cases identified in the Western Health District on Wednesday - 17 in Dubbo, 6 in Bourke (3 in Enngonia), 3 in Bathurst and 1 in Walgett.

There are now 885 cases of the virus in the region, with 63 per cent of them Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.