Navajo Nation Reports 51 New COVID-19 Cases, Passes 9K Total
Jul 31, 2020, 6:43 PM | Updated: 6:45 pm
File photo (KSL TV)
(KSL TV)
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation health officials said they have reported more than 9,000 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, but just 51 confirmed cases were added late Thursday.
Officials said there were 9,019 cases and one more death reported on the reservation.
The total number of deaths has reached 454, as of Thursday. Reports indicate 80,280 people have been tested with 6,627 people considered recovered.
6,627 recoveries, 51 new cases, and one more death related to COVID-19 reported as 57-hour weekend lockdown approaches pic.twitter.com/mfTJKvY6k7
— Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) July 31, 2020
“Today marks the 35th-consecutive day with less than 100 positive COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation,” said President Jonathan Nez. “A big thank you to our Navajo Nation residents for doing a great job in flattening the number of cases and we also thank the Navajo Nation Department of Health and all of the health care experts for their non-stop work and advice to help our people.”
The Navajo Nation is in the Four Corners area which includes Utah’s San Juan County. The reservation also lies in New Mexico and Arizona, which have struggled with rising COVID-19 cases.
On Thursday, the state of Arizona reported 2,525 new cases, New Mexico reported 255 new cases and Utah — 502 new cases.
The Navajo Nation has used curfews and lockdowns to control what was, at one time, the country’s highest rate of new cases.
The latest 57-hour weekend lockdown begins Friday at 8 p.m. and runs until Monday at 5 a.m. The lockdown mandates the closure of all businesses on the reservation.
Navajo health officials are planning for any new spikes in cases with a proposal to spend $128 million in federal CARES Act money to buy more COVID-19 testing kits, supplies and food.
Nez-Lizer put forth CARES Act funding proposal to support virtual learning to help protect students and teachers from COVID-19 exposure pic.twitter.com/FS98pNQ3Pm
— Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) July 31, 2020
