Navajo Nation health officials have reported no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 for the first time in months.
The reservation was a national hot spot for the virus but has seen a flattening of cases as leaders have put strict lockdowns and other safety measures in place. Pres. Jonathan Nez says the report of no new infections is good news but case numbers will fluctuate until a vaccine is available.
"We have to remember that there is a Public Health Emergency Order in place that prohibits gatherings due to the threat of COVID-19," he says. "I am confident that we, the Navajo people, can minimize the impacts of the upcoming flu season … We know how to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but we have to be disciplined enough to continue practicing those safety measures on a daily basis.”
Nez is urging people to continue wearing masks and avoid large gatherings. More than 9,900 people on the Navajo Nation have been infected since the pandemic began and nearly 530 have died.
