- Details
- By Levi Rickert
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The first two confirmed deaths from the deadly COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) were announced Friday night by Navajo Nation leaders. Because of confidentiality regulations, the names of the deceased, nor location of where the deaths occurred were not announced.
“Our condolences and prayers go out to the families of the two individuals who have passed on. We also pray for all of those who are fighting to recover from the virus. We cannot thank our health care workers and first responders enough for everything they are doing to help our people," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.
"To our Navajo people, let’s help our healthcare workers by staying home and isolating ourselves as much as possible. Our public safety officers are needed in our communities every day, and we don’t want to have to take them away from those duties to force people to stay home – we don’t have to go to that extent if people simply listen to the health care experts,” Nez continued.
Also, announced Friday night, the total now numbers 92 of positive tests for COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation. A news release issued by the tribe provided a breakdown of positive cases per county:
Navajo County, AZ: 49
Apache County, AZ: 18
Coconino County, AZ: 6 *changed from yesterday, due to clarification of one individual’s residency
McKinley County, NM: 5
San Juan County, NM: 11
Cibola County, NM: 1
San Juan County, UT: 2
The Navajo Nation’s needs for personnel, protective wear, hospital beds, and other crucial resources and supplies at all health care facilities on the Navajo Nation continue to increase daily.
Navajo Nation citizens are stll asked to stay home to prevent further spread of the deadly coronavirus.
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 go to: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/?fbclid=IwAR1vxfcHfMBnmTFm6hBICQcdbV5aRnMimeP3hVYHdlxJtFWdKF80VV8iHgE
For up-to-date information about COVID-19, Native News Online encourages you to go to Indian Health Service’s COVID-19 webpage and review CDC’s COVID-19 webpage.
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