Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer were informed by the Navajo Department of Health on late Tuesday afternoon of a second member of the Navajo Nation who tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The second individual is a middle-age male from the same region as the first person who tested positive within the Kayenta IHS Service Area. The second individual also had recent travel history and reported their symptoms to the Kayenta Health Center and was taken to a hospital off the Nation for testing. Health and emergency officials are taking the proper precautions to screen and isolate the person’s family members. Officials are in the process of determining the extent of the relation of the two cases. The Navajo Nation is in the process of deploying a mobile Incident Command Post to the impacted region on Tuesday, and the Navajo Nation COVID-19 Preparedness Team continues to monitor and take proactive measures to prevent the continued spread of the virus. “We call upon our Navajo people to stay home and remain calm to prevent the spread of the virus among our communities. We also ask the public to be vigilant and respectful of first responders, health care workers, and emergency management officials who are responding to these cases. Please continue to pray for these individuals, their families, and all of the people of our Nation as we get through this together,” said President Nez. In order to provide more resources, President Nez and Vice President Lizer continue to communicate with members of Congress to secure more federal funding and to gain support for efforts of our emergency operations and the health care professionals. “We are taking all proper actions at this time. Through the power of prayer, we will overcome this pandemic as our ancestors did. While the situation may be alarming, we understand that there are many people who are recovering from the virus so we should remain positive in our thoughts and prayers,” added Vice President Lizer. On Tuesday, the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry contributed $1 million to help the Navajo Nation address the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
