Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

June 23, 2022

Navajo Deaths Increase from COVID, with Variants Spreading


Dine' pick up supplies at a food bank on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, on May 20, 2020, three months after COVID began to spread rapidly. Credit: Getty Images

Navajo Deaths Increase from COVID, with Variants Spreading

Brenda Norrell
Censored News
July 23, 2022

Navajo deaths from COVID-19 increased on Wednesday. Three Dine' died from COVID. The variant omicron and the subvariant BA.2 are present. There is uncontrolled spread in 60 Navajo communities, the Navajo Department of Health reports today.

The Indian Health Service reports a rapid increase of COVID cases in Navajo, Phoenix, California, Billings, and Tucson service areas.

On Wednesday, there were 65 new cases in the Navajo Nation. Now, 1,807 Dine' have died from COVID.

Over the previous four-day period, there were 309 new cases and two deaths related to COVID-19, the Department of Navajo Health said. The Navajo Nation also reports that it has one of the highest percentages of vaccinated adults in the U.S.

The State of New Mexico reports new COVID cases in bordertown businesses today. Employees at Walmart in Gallup, and Target, Smiths and Lowes in Farmington, test positive for COVID. Navajos and area Native Americans depend on businesses in border towns for food and supplies.

New Mexico posts new cases each weekday: https://www.env.nm.gov/occupational_health_safety/rapid-response-data/

The Indian Health Service reports a rapid increase in COVID cases in IHS service areas in Navajo, Phoenix, California, Billings and Tucson (including Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham Nations).

Meanwhile, the Tohono O'odham Nation issued a health order on June 1, 2022, requiring masks to be worn, regardless of vaccination status. http://www.tonhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Executive_Order_22-02_6.1.22.pdf

Navajo Area Indian Health Service serves the Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Zunis, Hopis, and other American Indian beneficiaries in Flagstaff, Arizona, IHS said.

Navajo Nation: 60 Communities with Uncontrolled Spread




Indian Health Service service areas show a dramatic increase in the spread



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