{"id":6934,"date":"2020-07-04T11:38:22","date_gmt":"2020-07-04T15:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/?p=6934"},"modified":"2020-07-06T15:32:17","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T19:32:17","slug":"indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-54","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/07\/04\/indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-54\/","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 July 2, 2020.<\/p>\n

According to the data, 20,920 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of about 1.7 percent from the 20,579 cases previously reported.<\/p>\n

Altogether, 303,158 tests have been administered through July 2, the data shows. \u00a0That represents an increase of 4.4 percent from the day prior.<\/p>\n

Overall, 6.9 percent of IHS coronavirus tests have returned positive, according to the data. But the rate is far higher in the\u00a0Phoenix Area<\/a>, where 18.7 percent are positive.<\/p>\n

Closely following is\u00a0Navajo Area,<\/a>\u00a0which serves the largest reservation in the United States. \u00a0But even with about 17.9 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\u00a0Nashville Area<\/a>, which 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 10.7 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 53,403 tests administered in Alaska, only 0.29 have returned positive, the data shows.<\/p>\n

The Alaska Area also outnumbers nearly every other region — including Navajo — in terms of tests administered. Only the\u00a0Oklahoma City Area<\/a>\u00a0has more tests.<\/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, 11.8 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>, 18.2 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 July 2, 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>\n53,403<\/td>\n155<\/td>\n42,372<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Albuquerque<\/td>\n21,113<\/td>\n1,124<\/td>\n14,560<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bemidji<\/td>\n15,887<\/td>\n365<\/td>\n14,192<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Billings<\/td>\n26,095<\/td>\n389<\/td>\n20,826<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
California<\/td>\n4,663<\/td>\n207<\/td>\n3,633<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Great Plains<\/td>\n22,006<\/td>\n981<\/td>\n20,798<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nashville<\/td>\n10,697<\/td>\n1,150<\/td>\n8,915<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Navajo<\/td>\n47,206<\/td>\n8,447<\/td>\n34,336<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oklahoma City<\/td>\n57,803<\/td>\n1,545<\/td>\n52,804<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phoenix<\/td>\n28,568<\/td>\n5,349<\/td>\n22,048<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portland<\/td>\n12,217<\/td>\n934<\/td>\n10,605<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tucson<\/td>\n3,500<\/td>\n274<\/td>\n3,088<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL<\/th>\n303,158<\/th>\n20,920<\/th>\n248,177<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n

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