Agrupamentos espaço-temporais de alto risco da COVID-19 na região Nordeste do Brasil: um estudo ecológico de base populacional

Given the importance of the context and the rapid dissemination of COVID-19, the aim of this study was to analyze the spatial and spatiotemporal distribution of COVID-19 in the Northeast region of Brazil. We used spatial and spatiotemporal approaches, taking into account all confirmed cases in the Northeast, between March 2020 and July 2021. Using spatial statistics, we constructed maps representing the crude prevalence rates and risk clusters for the disease in the Northeast. 3,956,255 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the region, with the states with the highest number of cases being Bahia, Ceara and Pernambuco. However, the highest rates occurred in municipalities in the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Ceara, Maranhao and Rio Grande do Norte and high-risk clusters were observed in the same states. Thus, this research demonstrates a perspective of the behavior of COVID-19 occurrence in the Northeast region of Brazil, highlighting the areas that must be monitored by the health systems to create better strategies for controlling and coping with the disease.