Coronavirus Hotspots Now Surround Navajo Nation
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While coronavirus cases are spiking in states surrounding the Navajo Nation, the tribe’s numbers have remained low for several days.
Navajo President Jonathan Nez told a Facebook Live Town Hall the tribe’s curfews and mandatory mask orders have worked in reducing the number of cases. But he’s worried about people traveling to and from hotspots.
“Now that they’re getting hit hard if we start spiking here and we need specialized care I’m afraid our patients our people will get turned away because they’re dealing with an emergency out there,” Nez said. “And you know we only have a handful of hospitals here on the Navajo Nation.”
The curfews and the government closure will remain in effect through July.
Five thousand and ninety-five people have tested positive for the coronavirus on the Navajo Nation and 2,071 Navajos in its surrounding border towns. The majority of them have recovered. But 476 people have died.
