Navajo Nation reinstates lockdown as Covid-19 cases surge near reservation
Tribal leaders fear rise in coronavirus infections in neighboring states including Arizona and Utah threatens to undo progress
The Navajo nation has been forced to reinstate lockdowns to shield its people from major coronavirus outbreaks outside the reservation, especially in Arizona, where cases are surging.
The Navajo, the second largest Native American tribe, has been severely affected by the pandemic with 322 confirmed deaths as of Wednesday – more than 16 states including Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. The death toll equates to a death rate of 177 per 100,000, higher than any single US state.
Related: Why Native Americans took Covid-19 seriously: ‘It’s our reality’
