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Navajo Nation citizen who had symptoms of COVID-19 went to Kayenta Health Center and then transferred to Phoenix hospital. (Courtesy Photo)

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. Leaders of the Navajo Nation and the Indian Health Service confirmed the first COVID-19 case of a Navajo citizen on Tuesday afternoon. 

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, Vice President Myron Lizer and Indian Health Service reported that the COVID-19 case involves a 46-year-old Navajo citizen from the community of Chilchinbeto, Ariz.  

The individual, who was recently on travel outside the Navajo Nation, first reported having coronavirus symptoms to the Kayenta Health Center in Kayenta, Ariz. The individual has been transferred to a hospital in Phoenix, Ariz., where a test was conducted by the Arizona Department of Health. Members of the individual’s family are being screened and isolated.

President Nez and Vice President Lizer will provide more information live at 5:00 p.m. (MDT) on Wednesday on KTNN-AM 660 and 101.5 FM.  

“We have health and emergency experts who have been planning and preparing for this situation for several weeks,” Nez said in a statement.  “We call upon our Navajo people to do their best to remain calm and make good decisions by staying home to prevent the spread of the virus among our communities. 

“We are in close contact with officials from the Kayenta Indian Health Service Unit, Arizona Department of Health, Navajo County, and Navajo Area Indian Health Service to take the proper measures to inform the public, take precautions, and remain proactive.”  

President Nez and Vice President Lizer ask for the public to remain calm and to let the health and emergency experts do what they are trained to do in these situations.

Questions from the public may be directed to the Navajo Health Command Operations Center at (928) 871-7014. If a person has symptoms related to the COVID-19 virus, please contact your local health care center prior to your arrival. Please see list of health care center on the Navajo Nation:

Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility

(928) 674-7001/7688 

Crownpoint Health Care Facility

(505) 786-5291/6381 

Fort Defiance Indian Hospital Board, INC

(928) 729-8000 

Gallup Indian Medical Center

(505) 722-1000 

Sage Memorial 

(928) 755-4500 

Kayenta Health Center 

(928) 697-4000 

Northern Navajo Medical Center

(505) 368-6001 

Tuba City Regional Health Care

(866) 976-5941 

Utah Navajo Health System

(866) 976-5941 

Winslow Indian Health Care Center

(928) 289-4646 

Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center

(844) 542-8201 

New Mexico Coronavirus Hotline

(855) 600-3453

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Levi Rickert
Author: Levi RickertEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].