WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation officials say the tribe continues to see a surge in new coronavirus cases and on Friday reported 67 new cases and one additional death.
Health officials on the reservation reported no deaths and only a handful of cases for eight consecutive days from Aug. 1-8. But the Navajo Department of Health issued a health advisory notice for 19 communities because of the uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus Monday.
The tribe reported 39 new COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths on Thursday after having 49 new cases and two deaths reported Wednesday.
The latest numbers pushed the totals to 31,821 cases on the reservation since the pandemic began more than a year ago with 1,387 known deaths.
On Thursday, the Navajo Department of Health issued three new public health emergency orders for businesses and schools while revising in-person gathering limits for certain events.
The tribe’s mask mandate remains in effect, but there is no daily curfew or lockdown on the reservation that is the country’s largest at 27,000 square miles and covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The 50% maximum occupancy level remains in place for restaurants (including indoor dining, drive-thru, curbside and outdoor dining) plus tribal casinos, hotels, campgrounds and RV parks.
“Mask up and get fully vaccinated. If you do those two things, you have a great chance of staying safe and healthy during this pandemic,” Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement.
The higher case numbers are attributable to the new and more transmissible Delta virus variant and because some people are no longer wearing masks, Nez said.
