The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2021

5 new cases, 29,549 recoveries, and no recent deaths related to COVID-19 as the CDC designates the Delta strain as a “variant of concern”

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 five new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and no recent deaths. The total number of deaths remains 1,340 as previously reported. Reports indicate that 29,549 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. 277,941 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 30,932.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 5,620
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 2,974
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 3,672
• Gallup Service Unit: 4,903
• Kayenta Service Unit: 2,740
• Shiprock Service Unit: 5,259
• Tuba City Service Unit: 3,756
• Winslow Service Unit: 1,989

* 19 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 423 new cases, Utah reported 237, and New Mexico reported 122 cases.

“The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now considers the COVID-19 Delta strain, also known as B.1.617.2, as a ‘variant of concern’ due to its growing spread around the world. Researchers suggest that the Delta variant, which was first identified in the country of India, is even more transmissible and may cause more severe illness than other variants. Currently, here on the Navajo Nation we have no confirmed cases of the Delta variant, but it is present in other areas of this country so that is a concern for our region. We have protocols in place here on the Navajo Nation, such as the mask mandate, to help protect our residents from the variants, so we ask everyone to continue adhering to the public health orders and keep taking precautions. We have to keep pushing back on the variants,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.

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. 

“We will continue to emerge from this pandemic as long as we all continue to take precautions that help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the variants. Please keep your guard up and keep pushing back on the virus. Our health care workers are fighting for us each day, so please help them by protecting yourselves and making good decisions that keep us all safe from the virus,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.

The Nez-Lizer Administration will host an online town hall on Wednesday, June 16^th at 10:00 a.m. (MDT) on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page and YouTube channel to provide more COVID-19 updates.

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. 

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