Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

August 11, 2021

COVID-19 Continues to Spread in Navajo Area Schools


COVID-19 Continues to Spread in Navajo Area Schools Aug. 11, 2021

Update August 16, 2021
The State of New Mexico reports a new surge in coronavirus today, August 16, with 5 employees at Smith's grocery in Farmington, N.M. testing positive. Area schools in Kirtland and Aztec, and businesses show an increase in cases during the past 10 days. In Gallup, Home Depot reports 2 employees have tested positive. New Mexico is the only state in the Four Corners region that provides daily updates. Statewide data at: https://www.env.nm.gov/rapid-response-data/

 August 13, 2021
As schools reopen, there are 10,000 teachers and students in quarantine in 14 states, Washington Post reports. Meanwhile, the State of New Mexico, the only Four Corners state reporting outbreaks daily, shows more than a dozen schools with outbreaks in the Farmington, Bloomfield, Kirtland, Shiprock and Gallup region. Navajo Times reports a student at Pinon High School in Arizona has tested positive. Tucson Schools in Arizona show 9 teachers and staff, and 16 students testing positive.

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
August 11, 2021

The State of New Mexico reports a new outbreak of coronavirus in Kirtland, NM, Middle School, with two cases today. Since August 1, virus cases have been reported in 12 schools and day care centers in Shiprock, Kirtland, Bloomfied, Farmington and Aztec, in San Juan County. The schools are listed below.


The Navajo Times reports, despite masks and following protocols, a student at Pinon High School, on the Navajo Nation in Arizona, tested positive.
 https://navajotimes.com/reznews/student-tests-positive-despite-masks-protocols-pinon-schools-see-first-case/

In Gallup in McKinley County, one case of the virus was reported on Aug. 9 in Kennedy Middle School.

On the Navajo Nation, young adults, ages 20 to 39 years old, are the most likely to contract the virus. The highest incidences of death are for Dine' in their sixties, according to the Navajo Department of Health. However, in the bordertowns, the highest rate of death is among Dine' over 80 years old.

This sample of 572 cases shows the variants on the Navajo Nation.


On Tuesday, August 10, 2021, the Navajo Nation reported 16 new cases and one more death from the virus. More than 1,600 Dine' currently test positive for the virus. The Navajo Nation said that the majority of new cases are the result of in-person social and family gatherings where people often don’t wear masks.

On the Navajo Nation, the total number of deaths is now 1,384. The report states that 30,055 individuals have recovered. There have been 296,492 COVID-19 tests administered. The overall total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 31,666, the Navajo Nation said Tuesday.

Navajo Nation COVID-19 positive cases by Service Unit:

· Chinle Service Unit: 5,751
· Crownpoint Service Unit: 3,039
· Ft. Defiance Service Unit: 3,746
· Gallup Service Unit: 5,036
· Kayenta Service Unit: 2,819
· Shiprock Service Unit: 5,384
· Tuba City Service Unit: 3,850
· Winslow Service Unit: 2,022

Nationwide, the Indian Health Service reports the highest rate of spread currently, as shown by those testing positive this week, is in the Oklahoma, Nashville and Phoenix IHS service areas.

The Oklahoma area includes north Texas and Kansas. Nashville IHS serves the southeast. The Phoenix IHS covers the tri-state area of Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

Alaska and Oklahoma have conducted the most testing in IHS service areas.

Below: Source Indian Health Service Aug. 7, 2021.


Below: In New Mexico, COVID-19 cases have been reported at the following schools and businesses since Aug. 1, 2021. The neighboring states of Colorado, Utah and Arizona do not provide a daily list.

Source: State of New Mexico.


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