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Posted: May 30, 2020

The Indian Health Service has updated its coronavirus testing data, showing results as of 11:59 pm Eastern on May 28, 2020.

According to the data, 122,131 tests have been administered within the system. Of those, 10,313 have returned positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. That represents a 3.7 percent increase from the 9,942 cases previously reported.

Overall, testing increased 3.1 percent between May 27 and May 28, the data shows. It grew by 5.5 percent between May 26 and May 27,

Altogether, 8.4 percent of coronavirus tests reported by IHS are returning positive. But the rate is much higher, 22.7 percent, in Navajo Area, which serves the largest reservation in the United States.

The Phoenix Area, with 12.0 percent of tests returning COVID-19 positive, and the Nashville Area, with 13.6 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 18,868 tests administered, only about 0.16 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.

According to the IHS budget justification for the current fiscal year (2020), there were 2,895,571 American Indians and Alaska Natives in the U.S., which is the most recent user population estimate. Based on that number, 4.2 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 May 28, 2020.

IHS Area Tested Positive Negative
Alaska 18,868 30 15,185
Albuquerque 11,448 717 6,816
Bemidji 6,497 234 4,468
Billings 11,163 210 9,984
California 2,880 120 2,230
Great Plains 6,504 296 6,170
Nashville 4,856 661 3,933
Navajo 25,520 5,784 18,298
Oklahoma City 15,566 332 13,819
Phoenix 13,033 1,561 10,721
Portland 4,391 313 3,906
Tucson 1,405 55 1,170
TOTAL 122,131 10,313 96,700

IHS: https://www.ihs.gov/coronavirus/

IHS COVID-19 Dashboard

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