The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2021

14 new cases, 29,283 recoveries, and one more death related to COVID-19 as health care facilities begin offering vaccines for adolescents 

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Thursday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 14 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one more death. The total number of deaths is now 1,286 as previously reported. Reports indicate that 29,283 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. 269,369 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 30,677, including one delayed reported case. 

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 5,589
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 2,944
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 3,654
• Gallup Service Unit: 4,865
• Kayenta Service Unit: 2,722
• Shiprock Service Unit: 5,169
• Tuba City Service Unit: 3,732
• Winslow Service Unit: 1,983

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

On Thursday, the state of Arizona reported 544 new cases, Utah reported 418, and New Mexico reported 202 cases. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Navajo Department of Health Executive Director Dr. Jill Jim reaffirmed the Navajo Nation’s mask requirement, following new guidance issued on Thursday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 do not need to wear masks or practice social distancing indoors or outdoors, except under certain circumstances.

“We are staying the course with our mask mandate here on the Navajo Nation. Everyone is still required to wear a mask in public, indoors and outdoors. We will continue to be very cautious and take careful steps to gradually lift restrictions once we see our vaccination numbers increase, but we need to do more to reach our goal of community immunity. Health care facilities on the Navajo Nation have begun to vaccinate adolescents within the 12-to-15-year age range on the Navajo Nation and many will be holding large scale drive-thru vaccination events on Saturday to provide more opportunities for families to get vaccinated. Our goal is to have at least 5,000 adolescents vaccinated by this weekend. Together, we have to continue pushing back on COVID-19 and getting vaccinated is a key part of that effort. Please continue to take precautions and stay safe,” said President Nez, who accompanied his 13-year-old son to Gallup Indian Medical Center to receive his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, on Thursday. 

Health care facilities across the Navajo Nation continue to administer COVID-19 vaccines during drive-thru events or by appointment. If you would like to receive the vaccine, please contact your health care provider for more information for your Service Unit. 

“Herd immunity, also known as community immunity, is our goal right now. We need to remain diligent, keep taking precautions, and keep informing one another about the effectiveness of the vaccines. We appreciate all of our health care workers who are working around the clock to treat COVID-19 patients and to administer the vaccines. Please be safe and keep praying for our people,” 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.