The Navajo Nation

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2020

30 new cases, 7,397 recoveries, and no recent deaths related to COVID-19

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Tuesday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 30 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and no recent deaths. The total number of deaths remains 574 as previously reported on Monday. Reports indicate that 7,397 individuals have recovered from COVID-19, and 117,320 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 10,999.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 2,500
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 1,022
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 1,141
• Gallup Service Unit: 1,719
• Kayenta Service Unit: 1,362
• Shiprock Service Unit: 1,699
• Tuba City Service Unit: 1,024
• Winslow Service Unit: 524

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

The Navajo Nation will have a 56-hour weekend lockdown beginning on Friday, Oct. 23 at 9:00 p.m. (MDT) until Monday, Oct. 26 at 5:00 a.m. (MDT), and another from Oct. 30 until Nov. 2. The daily curfew remains in effect from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on weekdays.

On Tuesday, the state of New Mexico reported 599 new cases of COVID-19, the state of Arizona reported 1,040 new cases, and Utah reported 1,081.

“Traveling and family gatherings are still major concerns and a factor in the number of new cases of COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation. With the holidays approaching and the winter season coming, the leaders and public health experts are very concerned about how that might affect the spread of the virus. We are now in the flu season, so there are many factors that are not in our favor. So, we have to be disciplined and avoid family gatherings in order to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and healthy. Please be safe and continue to pray for our people,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

On Tuesday, the Nez-Lizer team, Miss Navajo Nation Shaandiin Parrish, World Central Kitchen, and CORE Foundation distributed food and care packages to 850 families in the communities of Nenahnezad, Upper Fruitland, Tse’ Daa’ Kaan, and San Juan in New Mexico. The Nez-Lizer Administration will host an online town hall on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page to provide COVID-19 updates.

“We can’t give up and we have to keep fighting — that’s the only way we will overcome COVID-19. We have the power and the ability to rid this virus from our communities, but it will take a tremendous cooperative effort by all of us as citizens of the Navajo Nation. Please remain optimistic and remember to pray for our Nation and all of our first responders,” 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.

https://www.facebook.com/NezLizer2018/posts/2631174453814748