New Cases Of COVID-19 On Navajo Nation Below Double Digits For First Time Since April
Aug 11, 2020, 5:25 PM
(KSL TV)
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – The Navajo Nation reported seven new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, which is the first time since late April that new cases on the reservation have not been in the double digits.
The last time the reservation reported fewer than ten cases was on April 20 with nine.
7 new cases, 6,878 recoveries, and one more death related to COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/vtPWkSb1qE
— Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) August 11, 2020
One more death was reported Monday, bringing the number of those who died because of the coronavirus to 473.
The total number of reservation residents who have tested positive is 9,315.
The Navajo Nation has been able to reverse what was one of the worst outbreaks in the country when it had more per capital deaths than any state in the nation.
Navajo President Jonathan Nez said people must stay vigilant.
“There remains substantial risk of contracting COVID-19,” he said in a statement.
One of the current concerns for Navajo officials is higher case counts in the three states where the Navajo reservation is located. On Monday, Utah reported 263 new cases, Arizona reported 600 new cases of COVID-19, and New Mexico 132 new cases.
“We are seeing good signs with the gradual decrease in new cases overall for the states of New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah over the last few days, but we must continue to stay home as much as possible, and avoid traveling to cities and towns off the Navajo Nation,” Nez said.
Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer added, “It is true that we have some residents that choose to leave the Nation during the weekend lockdowns, and we are being informed through contact tracing that it is often those individuals who contract the coronavirus off the Navajo Nation and unfortunately, bring it home when they return.”
The Navajo Nation will have another 32-hour weekend lockdown beginning on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 9 p.m. until Monday, Aug. 17 at 5 a.m. All businesses will be closed in that time.