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- By Native News Online Staff
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Covid-19 death toll keeps rising on the Navajo Nation. On Friday, 16 more deaths were reported. Since March 17, 2021 when the nation’s largest Indian reservation began reporting Covid-19 statistics, the death toll has risen over 900. With Friday’s 16 deaths, the death toll stands at 908 as of late Friday afternoon.
Also reported on Friday, 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. Reports indicate that 13,510 individuals have recovered from Covid-19, and 221,512 Covid-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive Covid-19 cases is now 26,073.
Navajo Nation Covid-19 positive cases by Service Unit:
- Chinle Service Unit: 4,828
- Crownpoint Service Unit: 2,622
- Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 2,701
- Gallup Service Unit: 4,174
- Kayenta Service Unit: 2,428
- Shiprock Service Unit: 4,583
- Tuba City Service Unit: 3,043
- Winslow Service Unit: 1,657
* 37 residences with Covid-19 positive cases are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit.
On Friday, the state of Arizona reported 9,146 new cases, Utah reported 2,543, and New Mexico reported 1,266 new cases. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez commended the Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation, as they administered the COVID-19 vaccine to 764 elders during a drive-thru vaccination event held at Tuba City High School on Friday.
This week, President Nez also visited and thanked health care workers and elders at Thoreau Chapter, Tséhootsooí Medical Center, Kayenta Health Center, and Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility as the Navajo Nation focused efforts to offer the vaccines to elderly Navajo people.
“The turnout was great this week. We saw thousands of our Navajo elders come out to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and we have field nurses and Community Health Representatives who are going out to the homes of our elders to offer the vaccine as well,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.
“We see smiles on the faces of our elders and they are very thankful to the health care workers as well. Once you receive the first dose, please remember to keep your guard up. Keep wearing your masks, avoiding gatherings, practicing social distancing, staying home, and washing your hands often. Once you receive the second dose of the vaccine, it will take a couple weeks before the vaccine becomes 90 to 95 percent effective, according to health care experts. Keep fighting this invisible monster known as Covid-19 and don’t let up. We are getting through this together. Please keep praying and remain diligent,” Nez said.
The Navajo Nation’s 57-hour weekend lockdown begins on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. (MST) until Monday, Jan. 18, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. (MST). All Navajo Nation residents are required to remain home for the duration of the 57-hour weekend lockdown, with the exception of essential workers who are required to report to work and cases of emergencies.
Covid-19 testing schedules are available online at the Navajo Health Command Operations Center website: https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19/COVID-19-Testing. 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: http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. For COVID-19 related questions and information, call (928) 871-7014.
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