On Tuesday, March 17, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer were informed by the Navajo Department of Health that a 46-year-old member of the Navajo Nation with recent travel history tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, which is the first confirmed case involving a member of the Navajo Nation. The Arizona Department of Health confirmed the positive test result from an individual from the community of Chilchinbeto, who first reported their symptoms to the Kayenta Health Center in Kayenta. The individual was taken to a hospital in Phoenix where the test was conducted. Health and emergency officials are taking the proper precautions to screen and isolate the person’s family members. President Nez and Vice President Lizer will provide more information live at 5 p.m. (DST) on Wednesday on KTNN AM 660 and 101.5 FM. “We have health and emergency experts who have been planning and preparing for this situation for several weeks. We call upon our Navajo people to do their best to remain calm and make good decisions by staying home to prevent the spread of the virus among our communities. We are in close contact with officials from the Kayenta Indian Health Service Unit, Arizona Department of Health, Navajo County, and Navajo Area Indian Health Service to take the proper measures to inform the public, take precautions, and remain proactive,” said President Nez. President Nez and Vice President Lizer also ask for the public to remain calm and to let the health and emergency experts do what they are trained to do in these situations.
