Navajo Nation cases climb, president hails curfew

Reprinted with permission from Indain Country Today Media

Monday, April 13, 2020. The coronavirus continues to batter the Navajo Nation, which saw a total of 216 new cases and six additional deaths over the weekend.

The new cases reported between Friday and Monday evening bring the total to 813, with 28 deaths, according to the Navajo Department of Health. The Navajo Epidemiology Center reported an additional 85 positive border-town cases.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the tribe is considering another partial lockdown, or "curfew," after what he called a successful 57-hour one that ended Monday morning. People were allowed to leave home only for groceries or essential work.

During that time, the Navajo Nation Police Department issued 177 citations: 119 for traffic violations and 58 criminal nuisance complaints, said Jared Touchin, spokesman for the Navajo Nation President and Vice President's Office. Penalties include up to $1,000 in fines, up to 30 days in jail, or both.

Nez told Indian Country Today that the curfew was "successful enough that we would like to do another one," though he wasn't sure when.

"A supermajority of the Navajo people abided by the 57-hour curfew," Nez said. "People listened, and I want tell the Navajo people thank you for listening to the healthcare workers, the doctors, the nurses, the police officers, first responders, to the 698 positive patients out there and listening to the families of the 24 members of our nation who lost their lives to COVID-19."

The coronavirus numbers Nez mentioned were from Saturday. Updated numbers of positive cases were released late Monday. No update was given on Easter Sunday because of limited staff working the holiday, Nez said.

Nez said citizens disobeying curfew need to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously.

"They don't see what they're doing may affect others," he said. "I think they are being a little selfish, just thinking of themselves when they should be thinking of our most vulnerable population out there in our children. If you can have them recognize and understand that, maybe they'll think twice about leaving their house next time."

McKinley County in New Mexico passed an emergency ordinance Monday encouraging residents to self-curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. after seeing a huge increase in cases in the county. There are a total of 144 positive cases in the county. Part of the Navajo Nation and Zuni Reservation falls into McKinley County. Gallup, a border town just off Interstate 40, is also part of McKinley County.

Other Indian Country case updates

The White Mountain Apache Tribe has nine more positive coronavirus cases since Friday. The tribe is now at 20 positive cases as of Monday, according to Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood on Facebook.

Seventy tribal citizens have been tested and 45 tests have come back negative, with five pending, according to the post. A citizen of the tribe who didn't live or work on the reservation died from coronavirus-related complications in late March.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation announced three new positive cases on April 13 which makes a total of six cases tested positive for COVID-19. The nation reported its first case on March 27. There are 75 pending tests out of the 238 tests conducted since March 1.

The Colville Tribes reported three more cases in Washington on its territory in Okanogan County in Washington state.