Navajo Nation surpasses New York state as highest Covid-19 infection rate in US

The Navajo Nation has surpassed New York and New Jersey for the highest per-capita coronavirus infection rate in the US -- another sign of Covid-19's disproportionate impact on minority communities.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez told CNN's Sara Sidner of its rate on the "Situation Room" Sunday night.

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The nation has one among the strictest stay-at-home orders within the country, mandating that residents not leave their homes unless there's an emergency or they're essential workers.

Even those that leave home for work must have documentation on company letterhead with a verifiable contact number for a manager so as to travel .

For the previous couple of months the state has been on weekend lockdowns to stop members from being out and risking infection but case numbers have continued to rise.

Other minority groups even have been hard hit by the coronavirus.

Of the 39 states and therefore the District of Columbia reporting the race and ethnicity of residents who have died of COVID-19, African Americans structure about 13% of the population in those places but 27% of COVID-19 deaths, consistent with an analysis from the American Public Media (APM) lab .

In California, Latinos make 53% of the state's cases, despite making up the 39% of the state's population, consistent with California Department of Public Health data.