"I regret to inform you that Westport has experienced its first fatality resulting from COVID-19," Marpe said on Thursday, April 2.
The Westport resident was an 80-year-old man, the Westport Weston Health District said.
"On behalf of the entire Westport community, I want to express my deepest condolences to his family," Marpe added.
Marpe said the town is working "diligently and tirelessly" to stop the spread of COVID-19 and contain the contamination.
He once again asked residents to avoid infection by staying home and abiding by state and CDC guidelines.
Marpe said Westport had 125 positive cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday: "Unfortunately, and despite our best efforts at prevention, our community was not spared," he said.
Neighboring Weston has 29 cases with one reported death from the virus.
Each day this number continues to increase, Marpe said.
"Please continue practicing virus distancing, stay at home and avoid gatherings of any type," he added.
Marpe said officials are appreciative of how many residents are remaining in their homes and have minimized social interaction.
"On behalf of this resident, please think about your neighbors, your elderly community members, and other vulnerable individuals when you practice isolation," Marpe said. "Together as a community, we will weather the storm of this terrible crisis."
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