Navajo Nation Tops 40,000 COVID Cases; COVID-19 Death Toll at 1,551

The Navajo Nation reported on Saturday 100 new COVID-19 cases, which brings the total number of coronavirus cases on the nation’s largest Indian reservation to 40,019. The total includes all COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation since March 17, 2020 when the tribe began tracking COVID cases.

Additionally, four more deaths related to COVID-19 were reported on Saturday. The total deaths since reporting began is 1,551.

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Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez says the increase in cases are the result of people getting together over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend last week.

The Navajo Nation in carefully monitoring the spread of the Omicron variant, a new form of COVID-19, that hit the United States for the first time earlier this week. As of Saturday, some 12 states have reported at least one case of the Omicron variant, including the state of Utah where the northern portion of the Navajo Nation is located.

“We experienced an increase in new infections due to the recent holiday, but we have to remain diligent and continue to get more of our people fully vaccinated. All health care facilities on the Navajo Nation offer the vaccines and booster shots, so please get vaccinated if you haven’t already. We are in this together and the safest place to be is at home here on the Navajo Nation," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said.

Health care facilities across the Navajo Nation continue to administer COVID-19 vaccines. If you would like to receive one of the COVID-19 vaccines, please contact your health care provider and schedule an appointment.

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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