Navajo Nation Concerned About Spike In Arizona COVID-19 Cases
Jun 15, 2020, 3:51 PM
(Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Leaders of the Navajo Nation reported three more deaths Monday and warned citizens to keep their guard up as neighboring Arizona saw a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.
A total of 6,611 people on the reservation have tested positive for the virus, while 311 people tragically lost their battle with it.
Health officials said 44,207 tests have been administered.
As the Navajo Nation has started to see a general slowing of the disease, President Jonathan Nez expressed concern over a spike of new cases in Arizona that could potentially spread into tribal areas.
“With the state of Arizona relaxing its precautions and allowing its stay-at-home order to expire, the highly-populated areas are seeing dramatic increases. I cannot stress enough to our Navajo people the importance of staying home as much as possible,” Nez said.
The Arizona Department of Health reported 1,233 new cases on Sunday, as well as increases in hospitalizations, people admitted to ICU units, and ventilators used.
“It only takes a few people traveling to Phoenix or other hotspots, to catch the virus and start another wave of new cases here on the Navajo Nation,” Nez added. “Let’s remember that this virus started elsewhere and made its way into the Navajo Nation – people move the virus. If we stay at home, we isolate the virus. Keep wearing your masks – masks save lives.”
The Navajo Nation is an area roughly the size of West Virginia and it lies partially in Utah’s San Juan County in the Four Corners area.