- Details
- By Levi Rickert
By Darren Thompson, Special to Native News Online
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Overnight, the Navajo Nation had its first reported death from the COVID-19 virus, Native News Online has learned.
The tribal citizen who passed away was also the first person on Navajo Nation who had tested positive for COVID-19, commonly referred to as the novel coronavirus. A family member of the deceased confirmed his death to Native News Online on Friday afternoon.
The individual, who passed away in Phoenix earlier today, was a 46-year-old tribal citizen from the community of Chilchinbeto, Ariz. As reported earlier this week, the individual had recently traveled outside the Navajo Nation. The individual first reported having coronavirus symptoms to the Kayenta Health Center in Kayenta, Ariz. and was then transferred to a hospital in Phoenix. The Arizona Department of Health later confirmed the positive test result. Members of the individual’s family were also screened and isolated.
There are seven others in the deceased individual’s family who have tested positive for COVID-19.
As of yesterday, the Navajo Health Command Operations Center of Chilchinbeto issued a shelter-in-place order, requiring residents to remain in their home due to the spread of the virus. The family member who spoke to Native News Online said that the entire family is deeply concerned because traditional ceremonial burial practices require people to gather. The family member said they will not be attending the burial services because they are quarantined as well.
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
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
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
