Navajo Nation reports 6 new COVID-19 cases, 3 more deaths

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation has reported six new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths. Tribal health officials released the latest numbers on Saturday.

The sprawling reservation that stretches into New Mexico, Arizona and Utah has seen at 30,965 known cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began and 1,346 deaths.

The Navajo Department of Health on Friday lifted the nation’s stay-at-home order, easing restrictions to allow in-person meetings and ceremonies of 25 people or fewer and drive-thru gatherings of up to 100 vehicles.

Face masks are required by everyone, whether or not they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer on Friday vetoed a resolution to reopen parks on the nation, including parks that encompass Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, to 100% capacity.

Nez and Lizer said in a letter to the Navajo Nation Council that the nation needs to be careful with variants of the disease still circulating.

They said that rather than opening the parks to full capacity, opening to 50% capacity would allow officials to monitor the impacts of reopening and gradually increase capacity from there.