A BRITISH tourist has become the first person to die from coronavirus on isolated Cape Verde.
The holiday island nation’s Health Minister Arlindo do Rosario confirmed news of the death to media today.
The unnamed Brit, the island’s first confirmed coronavirus case, died in hospital around 11pm local time on Monday.
He fell ill at the 5 star Hotel Riu Karamboa on Boa Vista, one of the archipelago’s most visited islands, on March 9.
The holidaymaker was admitted to Sal Rei Hospital a week later where he failed to recover from the killer virus.
After he tested positive the hotel went into a 14-day lockdown with 640 tourists and 210 staff inside.
Cape Verde’s Prime Minister subsequently announced the island of Boa Vista would also be quarantined.
A 60-year-old Dutch woman staying at the hotel subsequently tested positive for the killer virus.
Her husband is undergoing tests after he started to show the symptoms, say reports.
The Hotel Riu Karamboa complex is located on a white sandy beach a short distance from Boa Vista’s airport.
A partner of the dead Brit is understood to have tested negative so far.
Last night we reported how Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told all Brit tourists to try and get home now or face being stranded abroad for months amid the crisis.
His unprecedented advice came as international travel became increasingly difficult with border closures, flights cancellations and airport shutdowns.
The Foreign Secretary said: “We are strongly urging UK travellers overseas to return home now where and while there are still commercial routes to do so.
“Around the world, more airlines are suspending flights and more airports are closing, some without any notice.
“Where commercial routes don’t exist, our staff are working round the clock to give advice and support to UK nationals.
“If you are on holiday abroad the time to come home is now while you still can.”
It was a clear escalation of the government advice issued just last week for all non-essential travel to halt.
In recent days, Brit tourists have been finding it hard to return to the UK because of international travel restrictions and domestic clampdowns being introduced daily around the world.
The Foreign Office revealed it is now working around-the-clock to help get all stranded British travellers back home as quickly as possible.
The UK Government says it is also working with airlines to keep routes open and is calling for international action to keep air routes open long enough to enable international travellers to return.