{"id":6747,"date":"2020-06-29T15:09:36","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T19:09:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/?p=6747"},"modified":"2020-06-30T10:17:54","modified_gmt":"2020-06-30T14:17:54","slug":"indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-46","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/06\/29\/indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-46\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0Indian Health Service has updated its\u00a0coronavirus testing data<\/a>, showing results as of June 27, 2020.<\/p>\n

According to the data, 19,117 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of about 0.6 percent from the 19,005 cases previously reported.<\/a><\/p>\n

Altogether, 263,169 coronavirus tests have been administered through the IHS as of June 27. That represents an increase of 1.1 percent from the day prior.<\/p>\n

In both instances, the low growth rates can be attributed to a lull in data seen over the weekends.<\/p>\n

Overall, nearly 7.3 percent of IHS coronavirus tests have returned positive, according to the data. But the rate is far higher in the Phoenix Area<\/a>, where almost 19.5 percent are positive.<\/p>\n

Closely following is\u00a0Navajo Area,<\/a>\u00a0which serves the largest reservation in the United States. \u00a0But even with 18.6 percent tests returning positive, the rate has steadily dropped in the last several days.<\/p>\n

The \u00a0Nashville Area<\/a>, \u00a0which covers a wide area of Indian Country, including the South and Northeastern parts of the U.S., also continues to show a high positive rate of 11.4 percent.<\/p>\n

On the other end of the spectrum, aggressive efforts in the\u00a0Alaska Area<\/a>\u00a0are turning up very few cases. Out of 45,353 tests administered in Alaska, only 0.24 returned positive, the data shows.<\/p>\n

The Alaska Area also outnumbers every other area in terms of tests administered. It has surpassed the Navajo Area as well as the Oklahoma City Area.<\/p>\n

The data, however, is incomplete. While 100 percent of facilities run directly by the IHS are reporting data, only 33\u00a0percent<\/span>\u00a0of tribally managed facilities and\u00a044<\/span>\u00a0percent<\/span>\u00a0of urban Indian organizations are doing the same, the agency has told Indianz.Com.<\/p>\n

The agency also provided to Indianz.Com the\u00a0service population\u00a0<\/strong>for 2019:\u00a02,562,290.\u00a0Based on that figure, 10.2 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives have been tested for the coronavirus since the IHS began reporting data in March.<\/p>\n

The IHS\u00a0user population<\/strong>, on the other hand, is a much smaller number. As of 2019,\u00a01,662,834 American Indians and Alaska Natives have lived\u00a0within a service delivery area and have received health care at an IHS or tribal facility during the previous three years.<\/p>\n

Based on the\u00a0user population<\/strong>, 15.8 percent of Native Americans have been tested for the coronavirus since the IHS began reporting data in March.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 Cases by IHS Area<\/h2>\n

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 27, 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
IHS Area<\/th>\nTested<\/th>\nPositive<\/th>\nNegative<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Alaska<\/td>\n45,353<\/td>\n110<\/td>\n35,105<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Albuquerque<\/td>\n19,433<\/td>\n1,033<\/td>\n12,832<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bemidji<\/td>\n14,041<\/td>\n339<\/td>\n12,580<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Billings<\/td>\n23,947<\/td>\n358<\/td>\n19,334<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
California<\/td>\n4,209<\/td>\n179<\/td>\n3,287<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Great Plains<\/td>\n20,658<\/td>\n934<\/td>\n18,953<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nashville<\/td>\n9,464<\/td>\n1,079<\/td>\n8,053<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Navajo<\/td>\n44,004<\/td>\n8,199<\/td>\n31,730<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oklahoma City<\/td>\n43,700<\/td>\n1,164<\/td>\n40,854<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phoenix<\/td>\n24,383<\/td>\n4,670<\/td>\n18,923<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portland<\/td>\n11,039<\/td>\n859<\/td>\n9,834<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tucson<\/td>\n2,938<\/td>\n193<\/td>\n2,621<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL<\/th>\n263,169<\/th>\n19,117<\/th>\n214,106<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n

Source: https:\/\/www.ihs.gov\/coronavirus\/<\/a> (Indian Health Service)<\/p>\n