{"id":7132,"date":"2020-07-11T13:07:27","date_gmt":"2020-07-11T17:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/covid19\/?p=7132"},"modified":"2020-07-12T18:56:55","modified_gmt":"2020-07-12T22:56:55","slug":"indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-61","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/covid19\/2020\/07\/11\/indian-health-service-department-of-health-and-human-services-61\/","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 9, 2020.<\/p>\n

According to the data, 23,613 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of 2.3 percent from the 23,074 cases previously reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Altogether, 342,965 coronavirus\u00a0tests have been administered through July 8, the data shows. That represents an increase of nearly 3 percent from the day prior.<\/p>\n

Overall, nearly 6.9 percent of\u00a0IHS coronavirus tests have returned positive, according to the data. But the rate is far higher in the\u00a0Phoenix Area<\/a>, where nearly 18.5 percent are positive.<\/p>\n

Closely following is\u00a0Navajo Area,<\/a>\u00a0which serves the largest reservation in the United States. \u00a0But even with about 17.6 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 10.5 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 62,257 tests administered in Alaska, only 0.33 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, nearly 13.4 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>, 20.6 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 9, 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>\n62,257<\/td>\n205<\/td>\n49,138<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Albuquerque<\/td>\n23,658<\/td>\n1,244<\/td>\n15,586<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bemidji<\/td>\n18,132<\/td>\n415<\/td>\n16,270<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Billings<\/td>\n27,898<\/td>\n464<\/td>\n23,293<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
California<\/td>\n5,288<\/td>\n232<\/td>\n4,259<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Great Plains<\/td>\n25,602<\/td>\n1,164<\/td>\n23,273<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nashville<\/td>\n11,843<\/td>\n1,246<\/td>\n9,928<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Navajo<\/td>\n51,723<\/td>\n9,090<\/td>\n37,590<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oklahoma City<\/td>\n65,896<\/td>\n2,043<\/td>\n59,349<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phoenix<\/td>\n33,203<\/td>\n6,125<\/td>\n26,170<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portland<\/td>\n13,656<\/td>\n1,061<\/td>\n11,851<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tucson<\/td>\n3,809<\/td>\n324<\/td>\n3,345<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL<\/th>\n342,965<\/th>\n23,613<\/th>\n280,052<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n

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