{"id":6849,"date":"2020-07-02T08:07:52","date_gmt":"2020-07-02T12:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/?p=6849"},"modified":"2020-07-03T13:42:36","modified_gmt":"2020-07-03T17:42:36","slug":"indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-51","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/07\/02\/indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-51\/","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 30, 2020.<\/p>\n

According to the data, 20,278 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of 2.8 percent from the 19,720 cases previously reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Altogether, 281,706 coronavirus tests have been administered through the IHS as of June 30, the data shows. That represents an increase of 3.2 percent from the day prior.<\/p>\n

Overall, 7.2 percent of IHS coronavirus tests have returned positive through June 30, according to the data. But the rate is far higher in the\u00a0Phoenix Area<\/a>, where almost 18.8 percent are positive.<\/p>\n

Closely following is\u00a0Navajo Area,<\/a>\u00a0which serves the largest reservation in the United States. \u00a0But even with about 18.5 percent tests returning positive, the rate has held steady in the last several days following a slow but noticeable decline from the region with the highest rate.<\/p>\n

The Nashville 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 10.8 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 48,685 tests administered in Alaska, only 0.28 have 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\u00a0Oklahoma City Area<\/a>.<\/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, about 11 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>, 16.9 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 30, 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>\n48,685<\/td>\n137<\/td>\n38,777<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Albuquerque<\/td>\n20,513<\/td>\n1,106<\/td>\n14,173<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bemidji<\/td>\n15,250<\/td>\n359<\/td>\n13,608<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Billings<\/td>\n25,378<\/td>\n375<\/td>\n20,412<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
California<\/td>\n4,487<\/td>\n205<\/td>\n3,520<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Great Plains<\/td>\n21,626<\/td>\n965<\/td>\n20,457<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nashville<\/td>\n10,416<\/td>\n1,129<\/td>\n8,789<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Navajo<\/td>\n45,263<\/td>\n8,366<\/td>\n33,469<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oklahoma City<\/td>\n47,939<\/td>\n1,424<\/td>\n45,012<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phoenix<\/td>\n26,973<\/td>\n5,061<\/td>\n20,960<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portland<\/td>\n11,947<\/td>\n910<\/td>\n10,383<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tucson<\/td>\n3,229<\/td>\n241<\/td>\n2,877<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL<\/th>\n281,706<\/th>\n20,278<\/th>\n232,437<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n

Source:\u00a0https:\/\/www.ihs.gov\/coronavirus\/<\/a>\u00a0(Indian Health Service)<\/p>\n