NAVAJO, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation and its people continue to be hit hard by COVID-19. The Navajo Department of Health last reported 4,434 positive cases on Friday. 149 people have died from the virus.
The Navajo Nation spans three states with roughly 173,000 people. So far, President Jonathan Nez said 14% of the population has been tested for the virus. The Nation currently has the highest number of positive cases of the coronavirus per capita in the United States.
“Absolutely jaw-dropping to me,” Yolanda Tso said.
Tso has family living on the Navajo Nation and is now raising money to donate handwashing stations to people there.
DigDeep estimates a third of homes on the reservation do not have running water, which is just one obstacle they face in trying to fight the virus.
“If people don’t have the tools just on a basic level to be able to fight this COVID-19, it’s going to be virtually impossible to make sure that people are getting better and not spreading it,” Tso said.
Tso is working to give people a handwashing station, soap, five gallons of water and more to get started, knowing a simple setup can make a big difference.
“This means everything,” Tso said. “It’s being able to save people. It’s being able to save their lives. It’s being able to help protect them.”
If you want to help Tso get the stations to people on the Nation, you can donate here.
