The Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2020

Navajo Nation to implement another 57-hour weekend curfew

as 104 new cases related to COVID-19, one more death reported

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Department of Health in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 104 new cases of COVID-19 for the Navajo Nation and a total of 60 deaths as of Tuesday. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation has reached 1,873. A total of 10,772 COVID-19 tests have been administered with 7,816 negative test results. 

The 1,873 confirmed positive cases on the Navajo Nation include the following counties:

• Navajo County, AZ: 442
• Apache County, AZ: 432
• Coconino County, AZ: 264
• McKinley County, NM: 469
• San Juan County, NM: 187
• Cibola County, NM: 17
• San Juan County, UT: 22
• Socorro County, NM: 21
• Sandoval County, NM: 19

On Tuesday, President Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer announced that the Navajo Department of Health will issue another Public Health Emergency Order to implement another 57-hour weekend curfew beginning on Friday at 8:00 p.m. until Monday at 5:00 a.m. for the entire Navajo Nation. They also met with Navajo Police Chief Phillip B. Francisco and Navajo Nation Division of Transportation Executive Director Garret Silversmith, to coordinate police checkpoints on roadways to enforce the curfew. 

“We have the 57-hour weekend curfews, but everyone needs to be reminded that we have the Shelter-In-Place order that’s in effect 24-hours, seven days a week. Our team is also being proactive to plan for the first of the month this Friday. Under the leadership of Division of Economic Development Executive Director JT Willie, we will initiate ‘Operation First of the Month’ again to work with businesses to create safeguards for our Navajo elders. Please adhere to the orders and remain home unless you are in need of food, medicine, or in cases of emergencies,” said President Nez. 

“We can caution the public all day long and issue as many public health orders as we want, but ultimately the choice to stay home or go out into public remains in the hands of each individual. Please talk to your family members, your friends, coworkers, and others and tell them to stay home to save lives. We don’t want to see any more lives lost and we don’t want to see our Diné people sick – it’s sad and it’s devastating for many families. Please pray and please meet your prayers half way by staying home,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.

For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website at http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call (928) 871-7014.