ABSTRACT
Introduction: COVID-19 notification has been growing continuously in Brazil and the study of all related aspects is necessary. Objective: To determine the incidence rate of coronavirus, analyze the spatial autocorrelation of reported cases and determine the correlation between the incidence of the disease and sociodemographic variables in the state of Paraiba, in 2020. Method: An observational, ecological research was carried out and data were obtained from notifications from cities in Paraiba to the Coronavirus Panel. The outcome variable was the disease incidence rate, and the explanatory variables referred to sociodemographic data, testing the hypotheses using Spearman's correlation. Spatial autocorrelation was verified using Moran's I and Geary's C statistic, using choropleth maps, by means of the R software, at a significance level of 5%. Results: Increasing values of incidence rates were observed as the months progressed. There was a statistical correlation for population density, income, and Municipal Human Development Index in most months. In addition, the Alto-Alto pattern was observed in the state capital at the beginning of the pandemic and, soon after, a migration of this spatial pattern to the interior cities. Conclusions: It was observed, therefore, that the high incidence rates and its spatial behavior negatively impact people's lives and signal the need for a more intense intervention of governmental policies.