5:52 pm PRESS RELEASE – 241 total positive cases of COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation, 1,796 negative tests reported
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Service, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center, reported that the total number of positive tests for COVID-19 has reached 241 for the Navajo Nation as of Thursday – an increase of 27 cases since Wednesday. There is now a total of eight confirmed deaths related to COVID-19. They also reported that there is an overall total of 1,796 individuals who have tested negative for COVID-19.
The 241 confirmed positive cases include the following counties:
Navajo County, AZ: 104
Apache County, AZ: 22
Coconino County, AZ: 63
McKinley County, NM: 16
San Juan County, NM: 25
Cibola County, NM: 4
San Juan County, UT: 7
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer continue to push for more test kits and for on-site laboratory testing to be made available on the Navajo Nation, which would increase testing and expedite the processing of results.
“The Navajo Police will start issuing citations soon for individuals who violate the curfew that’s in place. We’re seeing higher number each day because people continue to go out into public. The only way we’re going to beat the virus is to stay home as much as possible,” said President Nez, who continued efforts on Thursday to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess additional sites on the Nation for medical stations.
“We need everyone to fight for our frontline workers by staying home as much as possible and practicing social distancing. The sooner all of us stay home and follow the preventive measures, the sooner we will begin to see a decline in new cases. Our prayers are with all of our Navajo people each day as we continue the fight together,” Vice President Lizer stated.
The Navajo Nation’s daily curfew remains in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The curfew does not apply to essential employees reporting to or from duty, with official identification and/or a letter of designation from their essential business employer on official letterhead which includes a contact for verification.
For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website at http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.
