A Uber driver who died in hospital after testing postive for coronavirus first started showing symptoms after taking a passenger to Heathrow Airport, a friend has said.
Sunil Kumar told the PA news agency that his pal of eight years Rajesh Jayaseelan, 45, decided to self-isolate but drove himself to Northwick Park Hospital when his health deteriorated.
He died on April 11 after testing positive for the virus.
The dad-of-two moved to the UK from Bangalore, India, a decade ago and worked as a driver for the ride-hailing app for the last few years.
His wife and two sons, aged four and six, live in India, so video calls between Rajesh and his family were arranged as his condition deteriorated.
Mr Kumar said: "I spoke to the ward nurse and she said he was very, very sick and the chance of survival was fading.
"I managed to organise video calls to his family, to his wife, mum and kids, and I got to see him on video as well.
"A few hours later, the hospital called me to say he had died."
Mr Kumar said information provided to him by Uber showed that Mr Jayaseelan made a trip to Heathrow Airport on March 25.
Shortly afterwards, he started to show symptoms and was advised to stay at home and self-isolate.
He went to hospital on April 3 after his condition worsened.
Mr Kumar, an NHS IT support worker, said the hospital's bereavement team had confirmed that Rajesh had tested positive for the disease.
He thought it was "highly possible" that he could have contracted Covid-19 while working.
According to Mr Kumar, the Uber driver had been forced to leave his rented home because of his profession, and was forced to sleep in his car before he managed to find temporary accommodation.
In a tribute to his friend, Mr Kumar said: "He was very down to earth, always kept to himself, he was very humble and would go out of his way to help people.
"We helped each other in hard times."
Mr Kumar has set up a fundraiser on the GoFundMe website to help Rajesh's family, as the driver was the "sole breadwinner" of the family.
The fund, which he said will go towards helping shape the future for his children, has raised more than £6,000.
