After a weekend where police officers issued over 100 citations to people traveling when it was not necessary, the Navajo Nation announced April 14 there will be 57-hour curfews for the next three weekends.
From 8 pm on April 17 - 5 am on April 20, residents on the Navajo Nation are being told to stay home and not travel anywhere.
Navajo Police will strictly enforce the curfew order by issuing citations to violators that may include a fine up to $1,000 and/or 30 days in jail.
The additional curfews are the latest attempt to slow the spread of positive COVID-19 cases on the reservation, which continue to climb as people continue to travel when it is not needed.
The Navajo Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Service, in coordination with the Navajo Epidemiology Center, said there are 921 cases on the Navajo Nation as of April 15, with another 83 cases being confirmed that day.
The 921 cases include the following counties:
- Navajo County, Ariz.: 288
- Apache County, Ariz.: 121
- Coconino County, Ariz.: 189
- McKinley County, N.M.: 170
- San Juan County, N.M.: 119
- Cibola County, N.M.: 12
- San Juan County, Utah: 11
- Socorro County, N.M.: 7
- Sandoval County, N.M.: 4
There are 38 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 as of April 15 as well.
The daily curfew implemented on March 30 remains in effect from 8 pm to 5 am.
“We truly thank many of those who are abiding by the stay-at-home order and the daily curfew, but it’s very disheartening to receive reports of many people going out into the public today [April 15] and traveling to border towns – most due to the federal stimulus funds that our people are beginning to receive,” President Jonathan Nez said.
Both Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer urged residents to be prudent with stimulus funds given the uncertain nature of the virus.
“We don’t all have to rush out and go shopping because we have some extra funds,” Lizer said. “Let’s be smart and plan financially for our families and let’s continue to use extreme caution so we don’t spread the virus especially among our elders.”
TIMELINE OF THE VIRUS ON THE NAVAJO NATION
April 8: The Navajo Nation tally reaches 488 after another 62 cases are confirmed. Three more deaths bring the total up to 20.
April 9: The total number of cases reaches 558 after another 70 cases are confirmed. The death tally also rises to 22.
April 10: Another 39 cases bring the total up to 597 while the death tally remains at 22. The first 57-hour weekend curfew goes into effect from 8 pm until 5 am on April 13.
April 11: The total reaches 698 after 101 positive cases are announced. Two additional deaths bring the total to 24. The Office of the President and Vice President also announced the reservation will be receiving rapid testing kits, which will allow for results in minutes as opposed to days.
April 13: The case total reaches 813 after 115 new cases are confirmed. Another four deaths brings the tally to 28.
April 14: Another 25 cases brings the total to 838. Five more deaths bring the tally to 33. The Navajo Nation Health Command Operations Center states 746 of those cases are located on the reservation while 92 cases are in border towns. The Nez-Lizer Administration announces 57-hour weekend curfews for the following three weekends.
April 15: Eighty-three new cases brings the total to 921 while another five deaths bring the total to 38. Out of 4,741 tests performed, 3,239 posted negative results.
For more information on the Navajo Nation efforts in fighting COVID-19, visit http://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19.
