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Posted: June 18, 2020

The Indian Health Service updated its coronavirus testing data, showing results as of 11:59 pm Eastern on June 16, 2020.

According to the data, 15,809 tests have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents an increase of nearly 2.1 percent from the 15,487 cases previously reported.

Altogether, 203,604 coronavirus tests have been administered within the IHS through June 16. That represents an increase of nearly 3 percent from the day prior.

Overall, nearly 7.8 percent of IHS coronavirus tests are returning positive, the data shows. But the rate is far higher, about 20.8 percent, in the Navajo Area, which serves the largest reservation in the United States.

The Phoenix Area, with nearly 18.8 percent of tests returning COVID-19 positive, and the Nashville Area, with 12.9 percent positive, are also higher than the IHS national rate.

On the other end of the spectrum, aggressive efforts in the Alaska Area are turning up very few cases. Out of 31,448 tests administered in Alaska, only 0.23 returned positive, the data shows.

The data, however, is incomplete. While 100 percent of facilities run directly by the IHS are reporting data, only 33 percent of tribally managed facilities and 44 percent of urban Indian organizations are doing the same, the agency has told Indianz.Com.

The agency also provided to Indianz.Com the service population for 2019: 2,562,290. Based on that figure, 7.9 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives have been tested for the coronavirus since the IHS began reporting data in March.

The IHS user population, on the other hand, is a much smaller number. As of 2019, 1,662,834 American Indians and Alaska Natives have lived within a service delivery area and have received health care at an IHS or tribal facility during the previous three years.

Based on the user population, 12.2 percent of Native Americans have been tested for the coronavirus since the IHS began reporting data in March.

COVID-19 Cases by IHS Area

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 16, 2020.

IHS Area Tested Positive Negative
Alaska 31,448 72 24,664
Albuquerque 15,658 892 10,771
Bemidji 10,580 298 9,701
Billings 18,926 294 17,211
California 3,512 148 2,841
Great Plains 14,915 746 13,255
Nashville 7,534 971 6,230
Navajo 36,519 7,592 26,381
Oklahoma City 35,818 764 34,401
Phoenix 17,460 3,277 13,462
Portland 9,086 635 8,151
Tucson 2,148 120 1,934
TOTAL 203,604 15,809 169,002

IHS: https://www.ihs.gov/coronavirus/

IHS COVID-19 Dashboard

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