Nashua Mayor James Donchess

NASHUA – Members of the Board of Aldermen took turns at Wednesday night’s meeting wishing Mayor Jim Donchess a speedy recovery, after he announced during his regular COVID-19 update that he is one of three City Hall employees who have tested positive for the virus.

“So far, it’s much like having the flu … I have fatigue, headaches, and feel sick,” Donchess said from his home Thursday.

He said he has not experienced the breathing problems that are common among people diagnosed with the virus. “For me, the disease hasn’t been too severe,” he said, adding that given the way he feels, “I know I have a virus.”

The two other employees who have tested positive have not been identified, but city Division of Public Health and Community Services officials say they, as well as Donchess, are “currently self-isolating at home for 10 days.”

Flavia Martin, coordinator of the department’s Communicable Disease Program, said that all of their “close contacts have been notified” and advised to self-quarantine for 14 days, and get tested as well.

One of those employees, Donchess said, told him about a week ago that a member of the employee’s household had tested positive, raising “at least the possibility the (household) member could have communicated it to the employee,” he said.

“So I encouraged the employee to get tested, and I went and got tested myself.”

Although the employee’s test came back positive, Donchess said, “I still didn’t think I’d get (the virus) because I wasn’t symptomatic at all.”

A day or so later, Donchess got his test result. “It was inconclusive, which means a presumtive positive,” he said.

The next morning, Division of Public Health director Bobbie Bagley went to Donchess’s house to administer another test, he said.

By then, “I figured I probably have it,” he said, noting that he was beginning to feel the flu-like symptoms.

Donchess said his wife, Victoria, also “seems to be having symptoms” of the virus. She had been tested, he said, and they are awaiting the results.

As a result of the three diagnoses at City Hall, additional employees who have been in their offices are in quarantine, Donchess said, adding that “a lot of people have been working remotely” as preemptive measures.

His diagnosis, Donchess said, “goes to show why people in the community need to continue taking precautions.

“I’ve been extremely careful for six months … no movies, no groups without a lot of physical distancing, no indoor gatherings,” Donchess said.

“I have personally limited the number of people I meet with in City Hall. Yet somehow the virus slipped through,” he added.

At Wednesday night’s aldermanic meeting, moved from Tuesday due to the Labor Day holiday, board president Lori Wilshire began the series of well-wishes from members.

“I’m very sorry you tested positive, but as you said, everyone needs to be cautious, every day,” Wilshire said. “I hope you feel better soon.”

Ward 6 Alderman Tom Lopez said he wanted to “express my concern for the mayor and hope you are getting the best of care. I’m glad your case was diagnosed quickly.”

Aldermen-at-Large Michael O’Brien and Dave Tencza both wished “you and Mrs. Donchess a speedy recovery,” while Ward 3 Alderman Patricia Klee expressed “hope you feel better, and your wife does too.

“I know these are scary times, but I also know you’re both strong people,” Klee added.

Meanwhile, a statement issued Thursday by the Joint Information Center, a statewide entity created to address matters having to do with the COVID-19 virus, described the three City Hall diagnoses as a “cluster of COVID-19 illness that has been attributed to a specific congregate activity.

“At this time we are not experiencing an outbreak” of the virus at City Hall, according to the statement.

Martin, the public health communicable disease coordinator, said officials “will continue to monitor the situation and make appropriate recommendations as the situation evolves.”

Clusters, according to the statement, “occur when there are three or more cases with a common link, such as a specific office or group, within one 14-day incubation period. These cases are typically identified during the case investigation and contact tracing process.”

Nashua’s public health nurses, the statement adds, “have conducted case investigation and contact tracing for this cluster.”

It also includes a reminder to the public that COVID-19 “can be spread from person to person very easily through respiratory droplets,” and that it is possible for an infected individual “to transmit this disease without showing any symptoms.”

Regarding the wearing of face coverings, officials remind the public that people’s personal decisions “impact our loved ones, friends and co-workers.

“Wearing a face covering in public is a key component to preventing the spread of COVID-19.”

For more information regarding COVID-19, go to nashuanh.gov/COVID19.

For additional information and resources, go to the Department of Health and Human Services site at nh.gov/covid19.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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