Kamloops city councillor Denis Walsh says he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Walsh says he got a positive test result on Thursday evening. He tells NL News he is feeling fine and is at home in self-isolation.
“I’m feeling really healthy, especially over the last few days. Wednesday I was under the weather, and by Wednesday night I felt like I wasn’t improving so I got a test on Thursday and my results came back late, late Thursday evening over text,” he said. “And so we sent out a text to all our employees on Friday morning notifying them I was positive.”
Walsh adds he has kept his circle small and has no idea exactly where he picked up the virus.
He says he had been in The Vic coffee shop, which he owns, several days before he tested positive. He had been working with the co-owner, who later tested positive on Saturday night. Those two tests led to the closure of the coffee shop at Fourth and Victoria until Wednesday so all staff can get tested and for a deep cleaning to be done.
“After closely following all public health guidelines a risk from outside the Vic has resulted in a positive COVID-19 test result from within our team,” a Facebook post from The Vic says. “As they have not recently been in the shop – there is no perceived risk to our customers or staff.”
“That said, and with an abundance of caution, we will be closed Monday and Tuesday so staff are able to undergo testing – offering additional peace of mind for all involved.”
He is urging people to remain diligent when it comes to COVID-19, and not do anything out of the ordinary.
“To me, it’s a problem, because we follow all the protocols. I think we have one of the safest places in town, with the coffee shop,” Walsh said. “So wherever I got it, I assume, was outside somewhere in some interaction. But really it’s a mystery.”
“I assume everybody has to be as diligent as they can, daily, especially that 15-minute contact with someone in the same space is what IHA seems to be focusing on in their protocols.”
Walsh says his council colleagues have been alerted to his positive test result. He expects to be given the all-clear to leave self-isolation this Sunday, and will participate in council meetings via Zoom as long as he feels fine.
He is the second Kamloops-area politician to have tested positive for COVID-19 after Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir announced she tested positive for COVID-19 last month.
