Georeferencing of COVID-19 Positive Nasopharyngeal Swabs to Support Emergency Management in an Area of Northern Italy

Chiara Airoldi,Maria Rowinski,Marinella Bertolotti,Daniela Ferrante,Genny Franceschetti,Alessandro Pecere,Andrea Sarro,Marta Betti,Antonio Maconi,Guglielmo Pacileo

doi:10.3390/ijgi11010003

Abstract

Spatial distribution heterogeneity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been observed in several countries. While previous studies have covered vast geographic areas, detailed analyses on smaller territories are not available to date. The aim of our study was to understand the spatial spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a province of Northern Italy through the analysis of positive nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs. The study was conducted on subjects who lived in the province of Alessandria with at least one positive NP swab between 2 March and 22 December 2020. To investigate if clustering occurred, the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects over the total number of residents in each small administrative subregion was calculated and then mapped. A total of 17,260 subjects with at least one positive NP swab were included; the median age was 54 years (Interquartile range 38–72) and 54.9% (n = 9478) of our study population were female. Among the 192 towns scanned, 26 showed a prevalence between 5% and 7.5%, one between 7.5% and 10% and two with more than 10% positive swabs. The territories with a higher prevalence of positive subjects were located in areas with at least one nursing home and potential clusters were observed within these structures. The maps produced may be considered a useful and important monitoring system to identify areas with a significant and relevant diffusion of SARS-CoV-2.

Highlights

Introduction21 February 2020 will be remembered in the history of this pandemic as marking the first Italian case of COVID-19 that had not been traced back to contact with China [1]
Prevalence of positive NP swabs is reported in brackets
Located, respectively, with only one positive subject identified. This geo-epidemiological study, conducted in an Italian homogenous in of terms. This geo-epidemiological study, conducted in an Italian homogenous area in area terms of political and health decisions, reveals and highlights a territorial heterogeneity in spapolitical and health decisions, reveals and highlights a territorial heterogeneity in spatiotio-temporal diffusion trends among people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 through a temporal diffusion trends among people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 through a RT-PCR

Summary

Introduction

21 February 2020 will be remembered in the history of this pandemic as marking the first Italian case of COVID-19 that had not been traced back to contact with China [1]. This date is important to frame and define in a timely manner the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in our country; since that moment the virus spread quickly from northern. ( from Lombardy and Piedmont) to other regions with a significant and relevant geographical/territorial heterogeneity. The Piedmont region showed standardized age mortality rates related to the virus that were slightly higher than national rates

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