May 5 (Reuters) - Miner Barrick Gold Corp reported a 78% rise in first-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by rising gold prices against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adjusted profit rose to $507 million, or 29 cents per share, in the quarter ended March 31, from $285 million, or 16 cents per share, a year earlier. (Reporting by Arundhati Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)