Independent news from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

COVID-19 Cases Increase Among Indian Community

CDC says news data shows double masking may prevent spread of the virus. CDC says news data shows double masking may prevent spread of the virus.

As of January 19, the number of cases of COVID-19 among the Indian community has increased by .3 percent.

This data includes 169,285 positive tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to updated information from Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services).

This data is updated three times per week and examines the positive tests results from 13 regional IHS areas including Alaska, California and the Great Plains. The Indian Health Service is working to coordinate a comprehensive public health response during the pandemic and is cooperating with our tribal partners as well as state and local health officials. Information is voluntarily provided from IHS, tribal and urban Indian organizations to Indian Health Service, which then compiles all the data.

Since mid-October, the IHS has shared positive infection rates as well as information about the spread of COVID-19 to the public. The highest infections rates are currently in three areas, two of them in Arizona, where there is a 16.8 percent positivity rate in the Navajo area and a 14.5 percent positivity rate in the Phoenix area. There is also a 13.3 percent positivity rate in the Oklahoma City area.

Contributing Writer

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