Navajo Nation reports 49 new cases as COVID-19 spreads again

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation on Wednesday reported 49 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths. The latest numbers pushed the tribe’s pandemic totals to 31,715 cases and 1,386 known deaths. Health officials reported no deaths and only a handful of cases from Aug. 1-8 on the reservation that is the country’s largest at 27,000 square miles and covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. But on Monday, the Navajo Department of Health issued a health advisory notice for 19 communities due to uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus. The health department plans to issue a new public health emergency order this week to transition the Navajo Nation back to “Orange Status” due to the recent rise in coronavirus infections.