{"id":7058,"date":"2020-07-08T08:37:12","date_gmt":"2020-07-08T12:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/?p=7058"},"modified":"2020-07-09T16:23:39","modified_gmt":"2020-07-09T20:23:39","slug":"indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-58","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/07\/08\/indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-58\/","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 6, 2020.<\/p>\n

According to the data, 22,065\u00a0tests\u00a0have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of nearly 2.5 percent from the 21,531 cases previously reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Altogether, 316,002 coronavirus\u00a0tests have been administered through July 6, the data shows. That represents an increase of 2 percent from the day prior.<\/p>\n

Overall, nearly 7 percent of IHS coronavirus tests have returned positive, according to the data. But the rate is far higher in the\u00a0Phoenix Area<\/a>, where almost 18.9 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 almost 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 56,288 tests administered in Alaska, only 0.31 have returned positive, the data shows.<\/p>\n

The Alaska Area also outnumbers every other area \u2014 including Navajo \u2014 \u00a0in terms of tests administered, with the exception of 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, 12.3 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>, 19 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 6, 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>\n56,288<\/td>\n177<\/td>\n45,361<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Albuquerque<\/td>\n21,581<\/td>\n1,167<\/td>\n14,848<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bemidji<\/td>\n16,682<\/td>\n382<\/td>\n15,107<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Billings<\/td>\n26,553<\/td>\n395<\/td>\n21,399<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
California<\/td>\n4,818<\/td>\n213<\/td>\n3,796<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Great Plains<\/td>\n22,968<\/td>\n1,077<\/td>\n21,794<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nashville<\/td>\n11,260<\/td>\n1,203<\/td>\n9,421<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Navajo<\/td>\n49,027<\/td>\n8,774<\/td>\n36,248<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oklahoma City<\/td>\n60,637<\/td>\n1,775<\/td>\n55,355<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phoenix<\/td>\n29,775<\/td>\n5,624<\/td>\n23,162<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portland<\/td>\n12,818<\/td>\n990<\/td>\n11,146<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tucson<\/td>\n3,595<\/td>\n288<\/td>\n3,169<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL<\/th>\n316,002<\/th>\n22,065<\/th>\n260,806<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n

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