A New Jersey man became the ninth American to die at a Dominican Republic resort over the past year, as authorities say the island nation is safe for visitors.
According to NBC News , Joseph Allen, a 55-year-old New Jersey man, was found dead in his hotel room last Thursday. The cause of his death is unknown. Allen died at the Terra Linda Resort in Sosua.
NBC News said that Allen was at the resort to celebrate a relative's birthday.
News of Allen's death came one day after officials confirmed the death of Leyla Cox, a 53-year-old who died in her hotel room at the Excellence Resorts in Punta Cana, CNN reported.
Officials in the Dominican Republic said that Cox died of a heart attack, but the network has been unable independently verify her cause of death.
Among the nine reported deaths was Barbara Corcoran's brother John Corcoran, whose April death became public last week. Barbara Corcoran said that her brother "had an existing heart condition," and believed that he died of natural causes.
Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia said in a statement to CNN that the country is safe for travel.
"These cases are very regrettable, but isolated," he said in a statement . "Investigation into them is a top priority for us and for the National Police. We are asking them to deploy all resources to help provide answers as quickly as possible."
There's nothing indicating these nine deaths are related.
