by Christine Trudeau
The Navajo Nation reported its second day of no additional COVID-19 deaths in three days. After months of strict lockdowns, curfews and public admonishments from tribal leaders, tribal health officials report dwindling numbers of new cases.
Twice within a matter of days, the Navajo Nation marked a significant milestone that the Nation’s largest reservation hasn’t seen since March. It’s all the more important as the tribe continues to climb toward a total that nears 10-thousand COVID-19 deaths. The Nation once outpaced every state in the country for the number of deaths from the disease.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez called it “good news” but cautioned the numbers will continue to fluctuate until there’s an effective vaccine. Nez encouraged citizens not to get discouraged by the fluctuation, but to stay on top of practicing all health care expert-recommended safety measures and says it’s those measures that are paying off with the drop in new case numbers.
Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty says the council should continue to push Navajo Nation programs for a dramatic increase to funds and resources for every community across Navajo Nation.
Navajo Nation health officials originally reported no new cases for a day, but that was later corrected to add 12 additional cases. Following Labor Day weekend gatherings, another spike in case numbers is expected. Another 32-hour weekend partial lockdown will go into effect starting Saturday.
This story is a collaboration between National Native News and the Solutions Journalism Network.
