The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2022

75 new cases, 41,952 recoveries, and no deaths related to COVID-19

WINDOW ROCK, Arizona – On Tuesday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 75 new COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation and no deaths. The total number of deaths remains 1,600. The report indicates that 41,952 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. 449,570 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The overall total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 45,754, including 68 delayed reported cases.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 8,539
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 4,317
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 5,003
• Gallup Service Unit: 7,654
• Kayenta Service Unit: 4,024
• Shiprock Service Unit: 8,218
• Tuba City Service Unit: 5,420
• Winslow Service Unit: 2,557

* 22 residences with COVID-19 positive cases are not specific enough to place them accurately in a Service Unit.

On Tuesday, the state of Arizona reported 23,836 new cases. Utah reported 39,882 new cases and New Mexico reported 21,305, which also includes cases from the three-day weekend. The Navajo Department of Health issued a report on Tuesday, which shows that there are now 85 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in nearly every service unit that serves the Navajo Nation. The federal government is now offering free at-home COVID-19 test kits. Every home in the United States is eligible to order four free test kits at no cost. Please visit https://www.covidtests.gov to place an order. Test kits will usually ship in 7-12 days, according to the website. 

“Our health care professionals continue to encourage everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks in public indoor and outdoor settings and areas of high community transmission. Wearing a mask, washing our hands, avoiding unnecessary travel, and getting vaccinated remain the best public health measures to protect our people. If we encourage one another to practice these measures, we can limit the spread. If you have tested positive for COVID-19, it is important to tell your close contacts that may have been exposed so they can quarantine, monitor potential symptoms, and get tested. By letting your close contacts know they have been exposed, you are helping to protect them and their families,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

Health care facilities on the Navajo Nation continue to administer COVID-19 vaccines. If you would like to receive one of the COVID-19 vaccines, please contact your health care provider and schedule an appointment.

“Be safe, adhere to the guidance of our health experts, and please support and help our elders and those with underlying health conditions. If you have grandparents who need groceries or other necessities, please offer to go shopping for them, but please be very cautious and ensure their safety during the delivery of the items. We all have to do our part and help push back on COVID-19 and the Omicron variant,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.  

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.