Statistical process control for monitoring COVID-19 cases in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul

• Autor(a) principal: Giuliani, Caroline dos Santos
• Data de Publicação: 2024
• Outros Autores: Dezordi, Bruna, Lewiski, Daniel de Vargas, Boemo, Marinela da Silveira, Jacobi, Luciane Flores
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Saúde (Santa Maria)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufsm.br/revistasaude/article/view/70107
• topic: Exponentially Weighted Moving Average; Pandemic; Coronavirus; Média Móvel Exponencialmente Ponderada; Pandemia; Coronavírus

Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the number of cases of COVID-19 in the city of Santa Maria / RS, from March to December 2020. Methods: The information was obtained from the database of the State Health Secretariat of Rio Grande do Sul (SES/RS). The Weighted Moving Average Control Chart was used to verify the process of variation in the number of cases of COVID-19, making it possible to detect the most critical periods of the pandemic during the evaluated period. Results: It was found that, of the total number of infected, the majority were female and were in the age group between 20 and 59 years. Most of the cases were confirmed using the RT-PCR test. The age group with the highest number of cases was 30 to 39 years and children and the elderly were the least affected by the virus. The number of COVID 19 cases increased significantly after the month of June and decreased in the month of July and August, resuming a sharp growth trend in September. Final considerations: Due to the abrupt variations contrary to the trend of improvement in the epidemiological panorama of the municipality, the importance of improving containment strategies is noted, aiming at controlling the pandemic and reducing the number of cases. Therefore, it is concluded that the protection measures for the prevention of the virus must be maintained at a rigid and constant level for an indefinite period.