The Indian Health Service is no longer updating its coronavirus data on a daily basis.
Starting June 7, the data will be posted on a weekly basis, according to a note on ihs.gov/coronavirus. The IHS doesn’t explain the development but it comes as fewer patients are taking COVID-19 tests and fewer tests are returning positive.
According to the latest results, the number of COVID-19 cases grew by less than 1 percent. The number of tests administered also increased by less than 1 percent.
Additionally, 7-day rolling average positivity rates have fallen in recent months, indicating that the coronavirus is largely under control across the IHS system. Only 2.4 percent of tests have been positive over the last week, according to the latest data.
However, two IHS areas (out of 12) are seeing higher COVID-19 rates. They follow:
- California Area — 6.3 percent
- Portland Area — 5.9 percent
The data, however, is incomplete. While 100 percent of facilities run directly by the IHS are reporting data, only 33 percent of tribally managed facilities and 44 percent of urban Indian organizations are doing the same, the agency has told Indianz.Com.
COVID-19 Cases by IHS Area
Data are reported from IHS, tribal, and urban Indian organization facilities, though reporting by tribal and urban programs is voluntary. Data reflect cases reported to the IHS through 11:59 pm on June 5, 2021.
|
IHS Area
|
Tested
|
Positive
|
Negative
|
Cumulative
percent
positive *
|
7-day rolling
average
positivity *
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 620,784 | 12,164 | 529,743 | 2.2% | 0.7% |
| Albuquerque | 97,329 | 8,271 | 68,139 | 10.8% | 1.4% |
| Bemidji | 173,654 | 11,929 | 158,407 | 7.0% | 2.8% |
| Billings | 102,066 | 7,486 | 91,305 | 7.6% | 4.6% |
| California | 86,507 | 8,262 | 74,784 | 9.9% | 6.3% |
| Great Plains | 148,069 | 14,408 | 133,150 | 9.8% | 0.7% |
| Nashville | 81,684 | 6,354 | 74,469 | 7.9% | 3.9% |
| Navajo | 262,872 | 32,307 | 182,988 | 15.0% | 2.9% |
| Oklahoma City | 517,943 | 61,232 | 451,867 | 11.9% | 2.3% |
| Phoenix | 187,164 | 24,321 | 162,259 | 13.0% | 4.8% |
| Portland | 126,380 | 8,356 | 117,621 | 6.6% | 5.9% |
| Tucson | 27,722 | 2,799 | 24,769 | 10.2% | 1.2% |
| TOTAL | 2,432,174 | 197,889 | 2,069,501 | 8.7% | 2.4% |
COVID-19 Testing Data will be updated weekly beginning on Monday, June 7, 2021.
Source: Indian Health Service (https://www.ihs.gov/coronavirus)