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Posted: February 8, 2022

ihscovid19The Indian Health Service has updated its coronavirus data, showing results through February 6, 2022.

According to the data, 430,466 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of about 1.0 percent from the 426,146 cases previously reported by the IHS on February 2.

The comparison, though, is based on cumulative tests. Going by the 7-day rolling positivity rates, the number of cases reported by the IHS has increased more than 185 percent since Christmas and by 47 percent since the start of the new year.

Altogether, 4,031,299 coronavirus tests have been administered within the IHS, the results show. That represents an increase of 0.5 percent from four days prior.

Since mid-October of 2020, the IHS has been providing additional information about the spread of the coronavirus within the system. The cumulative percent positive column shows the historical COVID-19 infection rate, meaning the number of tests that have returned positive since the onset of the pandemic.

Based on the cumulative percent positive, the highest rates have been seen in five areas. Two of them include the state of Arizona, indicating a disproportionate toll of COVID-19 in the state:

On January 19, the Oklahoma City Area overtook the Phoenix Area as the region with the second highest percentage of cumulative percent positive tests. The Oklahoma City Area is now approaching the top spot long held by the Navajo Area.

The 7-day rolling average positivity column offers a more contemporary look at the impact of the coronavirus. The data shows where COVID-19 cases have been increasing recently.

Based on the 7-day rolling average positivity, all 12 IHS areas are seeing high COVID-19 rates, continuing the post-Christmas holiday surge across every region of Indian Country. 

Overall, 11.4 percent of IHS tests have been positive since the onset of the pandemic, the data shows. Meanwhile, the 7-day positivity rate has dramatically jumped to a startling 25.9 percent following a short period of declining rates. High rates, yet still far below the current 7-day rate, were seen in Indian Country starting in the summer of 2021.

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.

Beginning June 7, 2021, the IHS began updating its coronavirus data on a weekly basis. But as the number of COVID-19 cases grows again, the agency is updating results on Mondays and Thursdays. Throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021, results were provided by the IHS every day.

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 February 6, 2022.

 
IHS Area
 
 
Tested
 
 
Positive
 
 
Negative
 
Cumulative
percent
positive
7-day rolling
average
positivity
Alaska 975,410 41,674 810,967 4.9% 17.8%
Albuquerque 136,831 12,705 103,435 10.9% 37.6%
Bemidji 280,775 27,405 252,495 9.8% 24.9%
Billings 145,284 12,321 129,107 8.7% 40.3%
California 157,579 17,268 133,555 11.4% 23.6%
Great Plains 230,301 24,077 205,460 10.5% 29.1%
Nashville 148,532 15,832 127,848 11.0% 25.7%
Navajo 444,524 62,366 317,216 16.4% 32.9%
Oklahoma City 966,034 151,780 802,358 15.9% 32.2%
Phoenix 276,530 41,308 234,016 15.0% 26.5%
Portland 207,369 17,291 189,488 8.4% 7.9%
Tucson 62,130 6,439 55,563 10.4% 40.7%
TOTAL 4,031,299 430,466 3,361,508 11.4% 25.9%

COVID-19 testing data is updated on Mondays and Thursdays by 5 pm ET.

Source: Indian Health Service (https://www.ihs.gov/coronavirus)
 
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