Navajo Nation health officials have reported 98 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and one more death.
The tribe’s Department of Health has warned residents of the uncontrolled spread of the virus in 34 communities on the reservation.
"We have to do better and we have to hold ourselves and our loved ones accountable," says Navajo President Jonathan Nez. "Please do not travel and do not hold family or social gatherings. Wear a mask, stay home as much as possible, wash your hands, and practice social distancing."
The Navajo Nation was a COVID hotspot earlier in the year, but officials say mask requirements, lockdowns and weekend curfews decreased infection rates. Leaders attribute the recent spike in cases to off-reservation travel and large gatherings. Nearly 13,000 people on the reservation have tested positive and almost 600 have died since the pandemic began.
