Navajo Nation coronavirus cases increase to 115, curfew established

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By Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer
Censored News
Censored News Breaking News updates on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/brenda.norrell.90

115 reported cases of COVID-19 for Navajo Nation

WINDOW ROCK – Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer were informed by the Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Service, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center, that the number of positive tests for COVID-19 has reached a total of 115 for the Navajo Nation as of Saturday. As reported on Friday, there are two confirmed two deaths related to COVID-19.

The 115 cases include the following counties:

· Navajo County, AZ: 57
· Apache County, AZ: 18
· Coconino County, AZ: 19
· McKinley County, NM: 6
· San Juan County, NM: 12
· Cibola County, NM: 1
· San Juan County, UT: 2

President Nez will host an online town hall meeting on Sunday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. (DST) through Facebook and KTNN AM 660 to provide important updates on response efforts, number of cases, and supply needs. Under the advisement of health care and emergency experts, President Nez will also announce the implementation of a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily for the entire Navajo Nation that will go into effect on Monday morning.

“We’ve reached a point where our medical facilities and health care workers are in dire need of more Personal Protective Equipment, hospital beds, and other critical resources and it’s only going to increase if people continue to ignore orders to stay home as much as possible,” said President Nez.

The Navajo Nation’s needs for personnel, protective wear, hospital beds, and other crucial resources and supplies at all health care facilities on the Navajo Nation continue to increase daily. President Nez and Vice President Lizer are working with members of Congress and state partners to prepare for the use of temporary hospital facilities when current hospitals reach capacity and are no longer able to house patients.

“Now more than ever, we need prayers and the cooperation of the public to fight this growing pandemic. Eventually, we will overcome, but at this rate it’s going to be a long and challenging road ahead. The more people choose to go out in public each day, the more challenging it’ll be for everyone. We all want this pandemic to end, but the only way we end it is by isolating ourselves as much as possible,” added Vice President Lizer.

President Nez and Vice President Lizer are also working with the Division of Economic Development to prepare and initiate added precautions at grocery stores, banks, and other businesses during the first of the month. More details are forthcoming.

A Public Health Emergency “Stay at Home Order” remains in effect requiring all residents of the Navajo Nation to remain home and isolated and all non-essential businesses to close to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

For more information including reports, helpful prevention tips, and more resources, please visit the Navajo Department of Health’s COVID-19 website at http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19. To contact the main Navajo Health Command Operations Center, please call ‪(928) 871-7014.

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Zapatistas close communities due to coronavirus and call on people not to abandon current struggles

EZLN closes Caracoles Due to Coronavirus and Calls on People Not to Abandon Current Struggles


Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee—General Command of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation

Mexico

March 16, 2020

Translations

To the people of Mexico:
To the peoples of the world:
To the National Indigenous Congress—Indigenous Governing Council:
To the Sixth in Mexico and abroad:
To the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion:

Sisters, brothers, hermanoas:
Compañeros, compañeras, compañeroas:

We write to inform you that:

Given the serious and scientifically proven risk to human life presented by COVID-19 or “Coronavirus”;

Given the frivolous irresponsibility and lack of seriousness shown by the bad governments and the political class in its entirety who are using this serious humanitarian problem to attack each other instead of taking the necessary measures to confront a life-threatening virus which endangers all regardless of nationality, gender, race, language, religion, political affiliation, social class, or history;

Navajo Nation reports two deaths, 92 cases of coronavirus

Navajo coronavirus cases increase to 92, with two confirmed deaths, as the virus spreads

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News

Update: Saturday night: Navajo coronavirus cases jump to 115, curfew established
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2020/03/navajo-nation-coronavirus-cases_29.html


The coronavirus claimed two lives and infected 92 Dine', an increase of 21 people in just 24 hours, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said late Friday.

The Navajo Times reports the spread of the coronavirus followed a gathering of the Nazarene Church in Chilchinbeto. Those attending and their families became ill in Cameron, LeChee and nearby chapters.

One family told the Navajo Times how the father was turned away at a local hospital repeatedly after becoming sick with a high fever after the rally.

A second church rally at Pine Hill near Gallup infected more Dine', and the pastor's family was hospitalized, sources said.

Nationwide, at least two other Native Americans have died from the virus in Oklahoma and Washington State.

The Indian Health Service reported 10 cases in both California and Portland IHS agencies. IHS statistics show only about one-half of Native Americans tested had received results of the tests.

The Rosebud Sioux in South Dakota established a curfew, restrictions on visitors and businesses and prohibited unaccompanied minors, in an effort to control the spread of the virus after the first case was reported there.

Already with a stay-at-home order in place, the Navajo Nation cases continued to rise this week.

Navajo President Nez said, “Our condolences and prayers go out to the families of the two individuals who have passed on. We also pray for all of those who are fighting to recover from the virus. We cannot thank our health care workers and first responders enough for everything they are doing to help our people."

“To our Navajo people, let’s help our healthcare workers by staying home and isolating ourselves as much as possible. Our public safety officers are needed in our communities every day, and we don’t want to have to take them away from those duties to force people to stay home – we don’t have to go to that extent if people simply listen to the health care experts."

Navajo area doctors pleaded for face masks at Tuba City Medical Center and elsewhere in Indian country. As the coronavirus spread through Indian country this week, Native American doctors urged people to stay at home and sought out those who could help provide face masks.

Currently, the Navajo cases are in Navajo County, Ariz., 49; Apache County, Ariz., 18; Coconino County, Ariz., 6; McKinley County, N.M., 5; San Juan County, N.M., 11; Cibola County, N. M., 1; San Juan County, Utah, 2.

Navajo Times article on coronavirus and church rally:
https://navajotimes.com/coronavirus-updates/two-deaths-in-western-may-have-been-covid-virus-spread-at-church-rally/

Indian Health Service nationwide today:
(Note: Not all of the cases are shown. Results are not shown for everyone tested.)

Below: New York Times map of coronavirus cases updated throughout the day.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html