The Navajo Nation

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2020

18 new cases, 7,190 recoveries, and two more deaths related to COVID-19

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Wednesday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 18 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and two more deaths. The total number of deaths is now 539 as of Wednesday. Reports indicate that 7,190 individuals have recovered from COVID-19 and 100,809 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 10,059, which includes 49 positive COVID-19 additional cases due to delayed reporting from the state of New Mexico.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 2,359
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 824
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 961
• Gallup Service Unit: 1,618
• Kayenta Service Unit: 1,321
• Shiprock Service Unit: 1,538
• Tuba City Service Unit: 953
• Winslow Service Unit: 479

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

The Navajo Nation will have a 32-hour partial weekend lockdown ‪beginning on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9:00 p.m. and last ‪until Monday, Sept. 21 at 5:00 a.m. (MDT) to help control and prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation. On Wednesday, the state of Utah reported 747 new cases of COVID-19, the state of Arizona reported 695 new cases, and New Mexico reported 119.

“The states of New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona reported increases in COVID-19 cases today. The number of increasing cases in towns and cities near the Navajo Nation remains a consistent concern and we continue to urge our Navajo citizens not to travel to these hotspots. Contact tracers have reported that the majority of new cases on the Navajo Nation result from people traveling to cities off the Nation and bringing the virus back, and also due to family gatherings where one family member passes the virus on to numerous family members. We know how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but we have to be disciplined and remain focused every day. Please stay home as much as possible, wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands often, and avoid large gatherings,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

The Nez-Lizer Administration will distribute care packages on Thursday, Sept. 17 at Chilchinbeto Chapter at 10:00 a.m., Rough Rock Chapter at 11:30 a.m., and Many Farms Chapter at 1:00 p.m. U.S. Census representatives will also be on-site to help answer questions, provide information, and help residents self-respond for the 2020 Census. The Office of the President and Vice President will also host an online town hall on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page at 6:00 p.m. (MDT) on Thursday, Sept. 17.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has set us back in many ways and that includes the 2020 Census. However, we still have at least two weeks to self-respond and get counted. We encourage all of our Diné citizens to get counted. We all benefit from the census count, so please take five to ten minutes to self-respond. As we move forward, we also thank our Navajo people for adhering to the advice and public health orders from our health care experts. Please continue to pray for our Nation and all of our first responders,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.

The Nez-Lizer Administration also continues to encourage everyone to get counted for the 2020 Census. You can self-respond by mail, by telephone by calling ‪(844) 330-2020, or online at https://2020census.gov‪.

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.