Navajo coronavirus cases grow by 124 since Saturday – 1,321 cases across the reservation

Meteor Staff April 21, 2020 Leave a comment

124 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday, 4,579 negative results reported

Meteor staff from reports from the reservation

Tuesday, April 21

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation reported in a press release last night that as of Monday the total number of positive tests for COVID-19 has reached 1,321 for the Navajo Nation – an increase of 124 positive cases since Saturday, according to the Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Service, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center. The overall number of positive cases includes cases on the Navajo Nation and nearby border towns. The report also includes 4,579 total negative test results as of Monday. There is a total of 45 confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 as of Monday.

The 1,321 confirmed positive cases include the following counties:

· Navajo County, AZ: 332
· Apache County, AZ: 233
· Coconino County, AZ: 217
· McKinley County, NM: 306
· San Juan County, NM: 177
· Cibola County, NM: 14
· San Juan County, UT: 16
· Socorro County, NM: 13
· Sandoval County, NM: 13

On Monday, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer presented the State of the Navajo Nation Address live online and on KTNN 660AM. They focused on the measures that the Navajo Nation has implemented saying measures began nearly two months prior to the Navajo Nation’s first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 17.

Looking back Nez and Lizer said on Jan. 26, the Nez-Lizer Administration issued its first public warning of the virus and followed up with seven Public Health Emergency Orders that include a Nation-wide shelter-in-place order, limiting mass gatherings, a daily curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., 57-hour weekend curfews in April, and most recently requiring everyone to wear protective masks in public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Nez said:

“People have been calling for a complete 24/7 lockdown, but they need to remember that we already have a shelter-in-place order in effect for the entire Navajo Nation that requires everyone to stay home with the exception of essential workers, cases of emergencies, and to get essential items like food and medication. We thank everyone for respecting the stay-at-home order that was recommended by the health care professionals, police officers, and other experts.

Unfortunately, we have several Navajo Police Officers who have contracted the virus. They are working hard to protect us, and we don’t have enough police force to be patrolling all of our communities 24/7. The bottom line is that people to hold themselves and others accountable for staying home and stopping the spread of COVID-19.”

The Navajo Police Department reported that 108 citations for curfew violations were issued during the latest 57-hour weekend lockdown from April 17 to April 20. Citations may include up to $1,000 in fines and/or 30 days in jail.

“Let’s keep working together and praying together. Through combined efforts and through our faith, the Navajo people will beat the virus eventually, but it’s been a challenging road so far. Our first responders are out working for us, so let’s stay home for them. Our prayers and our appreciation for our health care workers and everyone on the frontlines is never ending. Let’s keep the positive momentum going so we can overcome COVID-19 sooner than later,” said Vice President Lizer.

State of the Navajo Nation Address from President Nez and Vice President Lizer:

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.