A “dedicated” nurse who moved from the Philippines almost 20 years ago to work for the NHS has died after self-isolating with coronavirus symptoms.

Donald Suelto, who worked on a chemotherapy ward at Hammersmith Hospital, died at his home in London on Tuesday 7 April, aged 51.

“He really offered his service to our NHS here in the UK and was really dedicated to his job” Emelyne Suelto Robertson

Friends and family have paid tribute to Mr Suelto who they described as a nurse who was “dedicated” to his job and “proud to work for the NHS”.

Mr Suelto’s niece, Emelyne Suelto Robertson, told Nursing Times that she hoped the news of her uncle’s death would remind people to stay home “because this is the reality of frontline nurses”.

Ms Suelto Robinson, who works as a nurse in Scotland, said her uncle had died alone at home after self-isolating with symptoms of Covid-19 and was found by police on Tuesday.

She explained that Mr Suelto had previously worked as a nurse in the Philippines before moving to the UK for a job with the NHS 18 years ago.

“My uncle is really a hero for all of us,” said Ms Suelto Robinson, who is also Mr Suelto’s next of kin.

“He really offered his service to our NHS here in the UK and he was really dedicated to his job.”

Mr Suelto had not been tested for the virus but had been told to self-isolate after coming into contact with a patient who had tested positive for Covid-19.

Four days into his isolation he began to develop symptoms including a sore throat, fever and a cough, noted his niece.

Ms Suelto Robinson added: “He was just so proud of being part of the NHS for 18 years – that is what he would always say to me.

“Hopefully this tells everybody to stay home because this is the reality of the frontline nurses who lost their life for this. Just stay in the house.”

Meanwhile, a friend and colleague, Alejandro Fernandez, told Nursing Times that Mr Suelto was “very hard working” and “took good care of the patients assigned to him”.

“I saw he was very hard working, cheerful, friendly, responsible" Alejandro Fernandez

“Donald was a friend. I met him here in UK when I just moved here, I worked with him a few times and we became close friends as we both got along well, plus we both came from the same province in the Philippines.

“I saw he was very hard working, cheerful, friendly, responsible and took good care of the patients assigned to him.

“We are all sad of his passing, especially that he was alone.”

A spokesperson for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Mr Suelto’s employer, said: “We can confirm that, very sadly Donald Suelto, a nurse based at Hammersmith Hospital, has died. Cause of death is not yet clear.

“We are in touch with next of kin and are focusing on support for them as well as for colleagues at this very difficult time. Our thoughts and condolences are with Donald’s family, friends and colleagues.”

The death of Mr Suelto follows that of nurses Areema Nasreen, Aimee O’Rourke, Liz Glanister, Alice Kit Tak Ong and Rebecca Mack, midwife Lynsay Coventry, and healthcare assistants John Alagos, Glen Corbin and Thomas Harvey, who had all tested positive for Covid-19.

In today’s daily coronavirus briefing in London, first secretary of state Dominic Raab paid tribute to the nurses who had died.

He said: “For the doctors and nurses who have died from coronavirus while caring for others, we will never forget their sacrifice, we will never forget their devotion to helping others.”