The Navajo Nation 

Office of the President and Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2021

15 new cases, 30,038 recoveries, and six more deaths related to COVID-19 as Navajo DOH identifies 19 communities with uncontrolled spread

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Monday, the Navajo Department of Health, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, reported 15 new COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation and six more deaths. The total number of deaths is now 1,383. The report indicates that 30,038 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. 295,723 COVID-19 tests have been administered. The overall total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 31,650.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

• Chinle Service Unit: 5,750
• Crownpoint Service Unit: 3,034
• Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 3,745
• Gallup Service Unit: 5,031
• Kayenta Service Unit: 2,818
• Shiprock Service Unit: 5,381
• Tuba City Service Unit: 3,850
• Winslow Service Unit: 2,022

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

On Monday, the state of Arizona reported 2,191 new cases. Utah reported a total of 2,018 cases including last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. New Mexico reported 1,309 new cases, which includes Saturday, Sunday, and Monday combined. Based on cases from July 23, 2021 to August 5, 2021, the Navajo Department of Health issued a Health Advisory Notice for the following 19 communities due to uncontrolled spread of COVID-19: 

“Vaccines and masks are highly effective in pushing back on COVID-19 and the Delta variant. Our health care experts recently reported that the majority of the Navajo Nation’s positive cases that were sequenced in the month of July were found to be the Delta variant. Just as the rest of the country, we are seeing higher numbers of the Delta variant in our communities. The biggest difference from this time last year is that we now have several proven vaccines that are widely available. The vaccines don’t guarantee that you won’t get COVID-19, but they do help to prevent severe symptoms and lower the chances of being hospitalized or losing your life to the virus. We have to get more of our eligible population fully vaccinated and keep wearing masks in public,” 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. 

“If you visit family members or friends who live in a different household, please wear a mask and practice social distancing. Our contact tracers are finding that many of the recent new cases are due to family gatherings where people let down their guard around family and friends. Please continue to take precautions and please wear a mask in all public places. Be safe and keep praying for our people,” said Vice President Myron Lizer.

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