Exploration of spatial patterns of the first wave of covid-19 in Santiago, Chile: An approach to spatial autocorrelation

A quantitative research study is conducted to explain the spatial distribution of the frequency of active COVID-19 cases (SARS-CoV-2) among residents within the Metropolitan Area of Santiago, organized into square kilometer urban quadrants, during the first wave (May-August 2020).Spatial autocorrelation analysis is performed, including Moran's I and LISA Cluster.The results show that the autocorrelations are positive, moderate to strong, across all four months of interest.Additionally, five spatial clusters are identified, where changes in the "High-High" and "Low-Low" groups suggest that complex dynamics may be influencing the transmission of the virus.These clusters predominantly occupy the central area of the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (AMS) for the "High-High" group and the periphery for the "Low-Low" group.