Tribes take measures to slow spread of new coronavirus

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Sharon Bahe has made her home on the Navajo Nation a refuge, placing cedar branches and burning sage to help purify the space and praying for protection for herself and her children home from boarding school and a toddler with severe asthma.

Her community of about 500 in northern Arizona has become a hot spot for the coronavirus, with several cases confirmed. While other kids play outside, she tells hers they can't “until the virus goes away.”

Officials on the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation, have put Chilchinbeto on lockdown: No visitors in, and no leaving except to get food or medical supplies.

They're among the strictest orders yet in Indian Country, though tribes across the U.S. for weeks have been preparing amid worries that the outbreak could quickly overwhelm a chronically underfunded health care system and affect a population that suffers disproportionately from cancer, diabetes and some respiratory diseases.

They've shut down casinos, hotels and tourist destinations — often their primary revenue sources — and in some cases reminded citizens of their ancestors' resiliency.

“Tribes are really just big families in a lot of ways," said Matthew Fletcher, a law professor at Michigan State University. "The threats to your family are something you're going to take seriously.”

Tribal elders, revered for their knowledge and cultural guidance, are the biggest concern, and outreach and other efforts are underway on the Navajo Nation, which spans three states in the U.S. Southwest. Many families there live miles apart in homes that hold multiple generations but can lack electricity, running water and reliable internet.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. But for the elderly...