Indianz.Com > COVID-19 > Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services)
https://indianz.com/covid19/?p=17157
Posted: February 18, 2022

ihscovid19The Indian Health Service has updated its coronavirus data, showing results through February 16, 2022.

According to the data, 445,799 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of 0.8 percent from the 442,152 cases previously reported by the IHS on February 13 and 1.8 percent higher the 437,732 cases reported a week prior on February 9.

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 almost 95 percent since Christmas.

The current 7-day positivity rate, meanwhile, has since fallen to about the same rate seen at the start of the new year, yet it’s still higher than levels seen over the last several months.

Altogether, 4,108,432 coronavirus tests have been administered within the IHS, the results show. That represents an increase of almost 0.5 percent from three days prior and its about 1.1 percent higher than a week 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, 11.5 percent of IHS tests have been positive since the onset of the pandemic, the data shows. Meanwhile, the 7-day positivity rate remains higher, at 17.7 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.

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 16, 2022.

 
IHS Area
 
 
Tested
 
 
Positive
 
 
Negative
 
Cumulative
percent
positive
7-day rolling
average
positivity
Alaska 987,249 43,664 819,534 5.1% 15.9%
Albuquerque 138,432 12,962 104,728 11.0% 11.0%
Bemidji 284,696 27,984 255,807 9.9% 12.7%
Billings 149,014 13,063 131,493 9.0% 17.2%
California 162,584 18,351 137,194 11.8% 17.1%
Great Plains 234,824 24,987 207,672 10.7% 16.3%
Nashville 151,210 16,188 130,202 11.1% 12.3%
Navajo 452,806 64,645 322,658 16.7% 25.6%
Oklahoma City 982,782 155,556 816,523 16.0% 18.9%
Phoenix 279,425 41,961 236,224 15.1% 22.0%
Portland 212,751 18,078 194,121 8.5% 10.0%
Tucson 72,659 8,360 64,038 11.5% 18.3%
TOTAL 4,108,432 445,799 3,420,194 11.5% 17.7%

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

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

Join the Conversation