Coronavirus has killed a second person in France as the illness continues to spread across Europe.

The 60-year-old French national died in a Paris hospital, said the head of France’s national health service.

It came as a Tenerife hotel placed on lockdown earlier this week was hit by two more cases, doubling the count to four.

The two people were visiting Tenerife from Italy and tested positive on Tuesday, the Spanish Ministry of Health has confirmed. 

Both are thought to have contracted the disease from an Italian doctor and his wife who were quarantined on Monday with coronavirus.

Meanwhile in London, energy firm Chevron asked about 300 British employees to work temporarily from home after an employee in its Canary Wharf office reported a flu-like illness.

Crossrail, which shares the same building as Chevron, and media firm OMD, based in central London, have also asked staff to stay away.

The brings the number of cases at H10 Costa Adeje Palace to four.

The outbreak prompted the hotel to send letters to guests at the four-star hotel saying it has “closed down” and they must remain in their rooms until further notice.

On Wednesday, Professor Paul Cosford from Public Health England told Sky News that Tenerife has not been added to places of concern but the list is being monitored on a “daily basis”.

He said: “If people have been in that hotel then that is a concern and they will be treated as contacts of people who have been infected and the Spanish authorities are working closely with that hotel to make sure anybody there has the right treatment.” 

Travel firms Tui and Jet2holidays are among those who use use the hotel for package holidays, with Tui having around 200 guests there from different countries, including a small number from the UK.

A spokeswoman for Tui UK said: “We can confirm that Tui has around 200 customers in the resort from different countries. Tui representatives on Tenerife are present on site and will liaise with our customers.

“All guests have been asked to remain in their rooms and are being looked after by the hotel.

“Our holiday programme to Tenerife continues to operate as planned for all other hotels.”

Spanish media reported that up to 1,000 guests have been affected by the resort closure.

Relatives are concerned about an 82-year-old widower staying at the Tenerife hotel.

Retired builder Alan Cunliffe, from Wigan, is on holiday and was due to fly home later this week.

“My uncle is stuck in the hotel currently on lock down due to the coronavirus,” said Cunliffe’s nephew, Jon Butler.

“He was supposed to be flying home on Friday. He’s 82 and is there all alone. He has been stuck in his room all day without any information, no food, only water and is very concerned.

“He has not been contacted by the Foreign Office or any other officials, it seems and is in total limbo. Nor has the hotel or their staff been any help at all.”

Butler, 39, who lives near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, added: “I have tried calling the British Consulate in Tenerife several times without success and have left messages.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said its staff was offering advice and support to British people at the hotel.

It comes as travellers returning to the UK from northern Italy were told they may need to self-isolate as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus – officially named Covid-19.

Symptoms of the disease include a cough, fever and shortness of breath.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said official advice has been changed to say people who have been to anywhere in Italy north of Pisa should self-isolate if they develop flu-like symptoms on their return to the UK.

Britons who have been in locked down regions of Italy – including Lombardy and Veneto – should self-isolate at home for 14 days even if they have no symptoms.

The Foreign Office later updated its travel advice, with a spokesman saying: “We advise against all but essential travel to 10 small towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto, which are currently in isolation due to an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus.

“Any British nationals already in these towns should follow the advice of the local authorities.”

The Department of Health added Iran, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and parts of northern Italy to the list of places where travellers need to follow clinical advice.

In Italy, 229 people have tested positive for coronavirus and seven have died.

Schools have been closed in affected areas, theatre performances cancelled, and Venice Carnival celebrations were called off, while producers said filming on the latest Mission: Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise has been halted.

Infographic supplied by Statista.