- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Tuesday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 121 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and seven more deaths. The total number of deaths is now 638 as of Tuesday. Reports indicate that 8,271 individuals have recovered from COVID-19, and 151,008 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 15,374, which includes 17 delayed unreported cases.
Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:
- Chinle Service Unit: 3,251
- Crownpoint Service Unit: 1,697
- Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 1,573
- Gallup Service Unit: 2,486
- Kayenta Service Unit: 1,631
- Shiprock Service Unit: 2,302
- Tuba City Service Unit: 1,573
- Winslow Service Unit: 848
* 13 residences with COVID-19 positive cases are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit.
The Navajo Nation’s three-week stay-at-home lockdown is in effect 24-hours a day, seven days a week with the exception of essential workers, cases of emergencies, and to purchase essential items such as food and medication when essential businesses are open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. On Tuesday, the state of New Mexico reported 2,107 new cases of COVID-19, the state of Arizona reported 4,544 new cases, and Utah reported 2,701 cases.
“This Thanksgiving Day holiday, please be safe and do not hold family gatherings with anyone outside of your immediate household. By inviting guests and other relatives into your home, you are creating substantial risks for you and your family members. We have to be diligent and make good choices, which aren’t the easiest. If you need groceries or other essential items, only send one family member into the store and always remember to wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands often, and avoid crowded areas. We can beat this virus and we will eventually, but we have a challenging road ahead before we get there. Please remain strong and continue to pray for yourselves and others,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
Public health officials continue to urge the public not to hold in-person gatherings with non-household members on Thanksgiving Day due to COVID-19 risks. Navajo Area IHS and 638 hospitals continue to offer COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites this week, except for the holiday.
On Tuesday, the Nez-Lizer team and World Central Kitchen distributed food in the communities of Red Valley and at the Diné College campus. On Wednesday, Nov. 25, the Nez-Lizer team will hold a food distribution event at Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, N.M. at 9:00 a.m. and at the Window Rock fairgrounds at 1:00 p.m. (MST).
For more information, including helpful prevention tips, and resources to help stop the spread of COVID-19, visit the Navajo Department of Health's COVID-19 website: https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19&source=gmail&ust=1606361769270000&usg=AFQjCNEKZePOp7JWJoFObACd0kcpfNi3UQ">http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. For COVID-19 related questions and information, call (928) 871-7014.
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
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Photographs of the Homecoming of the Three Fires Powwow
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
