A New Jersey man has become the eight person to die within the last several weeks while traveling in the Dominican Republic.

Family members tell News 12 New Jersey that 55-year-old Joseph Allen, of Avenel, was found dead inside his hotel room at Terra Linda in Sosua on June 13.

Allen’s sister, Jamie Reed, tells News 12 that her brother was in the Dominican Republic visiting friends. Reed says that Allen felt ill on Wednesday and decided to stay in. He was found dead in his room the next morning.

The family says that Allen does not have a history of medical issues. A cause of death was not immediately clear.

Allen is the eighth American tourist to die while on vacation on the island over the last several weeks. Authorities are looking into the deaths and into the possibility that they were caused by contaminated items from hotel minibars.