- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — On Friday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 34 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and two more deaths. The total number of deaths has reached 434 as of Friday.
Reports indicate that approximately 6,503 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. 76,367 people have been tested for COVID-19. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation is 8,768.
Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:
· Chinle Service Unit: 2,186
· Crownpoint Service Unit: 740
· Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 601
· Gallup Service Unit: 1,427
· Kayenta Service Unit: 1,235
· Shiprock Service Unit: 1,370
· Tuba City Service Unit: 810
· Winslow Service Unit: 396
* Three residences with COVID-19 positive cases are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit.
The Navajo Nation’s 57-hour weekend lockdown began on Friday, July 24 at 8:00 p.m. until Monday, July 27 at 5:00 a.m. All businesses on the Navajo Nation will be closed for the duration of the weekend lockdown.
“We are cautiously optimistic that our COVID-19 numbers on the Navajo Nation will continue to flatten as long as our people continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, stay home as much as possible, wash hands often, and avoid large gatherings. The states of New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona are seeing high numbers still and it’s a big challenge for their health care systems. Our health care system on the Navajo Nation will be devastated if we have another spike in cases, so please make good decisions and protect yourselves and your loved ones,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
On Friday, the state of Arizona reported 3,349 new cases of COVID-19, while New Mexico reported 317 new cases, and Utah reported 863 new cases. The Department of Health and the Health Command Operations Center is also preparing for the upcoming winter flu season, which will present more challenges, as well as a vaccination plan once a COVID-19 vaccine is proven to be safe and made available.
To Donate to the Navajo Nation
The official webpage for donations to the Navajo Nation, which has further details on how to support the Nation’s Dikos Ntsaaígíí-19 (COVID-19) efforts is: http://www.nndoh.org/donate.html.
For More Information
For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.
For up to date information on impact the coronavirus pandemic is having in the United States and around the world, visit the Worldometers website.
For up-to-date information about COVID-19, Native News Online encourages you to go to Indian Health Service’s COVID-19 webpage.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Cheyenne River Youth Project Offers a Busy Summer with Clubs, Parties, Internships and More
NTU Men’s Skyhawks Host Competitive Basketball Tryouts
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
