Top British diplomat, 37, dies of coronavirus in Hungary
A TOP British diplomat has died in Hungary after contracting coronavirus.
Steven Dick, 37, the deputy head of mission at the British Embassy in Budapest, died on Tuesday after testing positive for the killer bug.
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He became Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Hungary in December 2019.
Tributes have poured in for the senior diplomat from family, colleagues and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
In a statement, his parents Steven and Carol Dick said: “Steven was a much-loved son, grandson and nephew. He was kind, funny and generous.
“It was always his dream to work for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and he was very happy representing our country overseas.
‘WE ARE DEVASTATED’
“We are devastated by his loss and ask for privacy at this tragic time.”
Mr Raab hailed Mr Dick for his “dedicated” service for the British embassy in Budapest.
The Foreign Secretary said: “I am desperately saddened by the news of Steven’s death and my heart goes out to his parents Steven and Carol.
“Steven was a dedicated diplomat and represented his country with great skill and passion.
“He will be missed by all those who knew him and worked with him.”
UK Ambassador to Hungary Iain Lindsay said he and his team were “deeply saddened and shocked at Steven’s passing”.
He said: “Steven was a dear colleague and friend who had made a tremendous impression in Hungary since his arrival last October with his personal warmth and his sheer professionalism, not least his excellent Hungarian.
“As our fellow Scot Robert Burns, whose works we had recently recited together, wrote ‘Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d, Few heads with knowledge so inform’d.
“We will miss him so much.”
‘SHATTERING NEWS’
Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCO Sir Simon McDonald described Mr Dick’s death as “shattering news”.
He described Mr Dick as “an exemplary officer and a lovely man”.
Sir Simon said: “He was just starting out on what was sure to be an outstanding career and his friends around the world and across the FCO will miss him sorely.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Yesterday, The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 85 per cent of confirmed coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours were in Europe and the USA.
More than 20,000 people have now died across the globe from the deadly virus, with 10 fatalities so far in Hungary.
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Shaun Walker, a journalist at The Guardian, said Mr Dick told him last week he had been diagnosed with Covid-19 but was “feeling fine”.
He tweeted: “He was a really nice bloke and a great diplomat.
“Last week he told me he had the virus but was feeling fine. Awful.”