Assessment of corona virus (COVID-19) infection spread pattern in Iraq using GIS and RS techniques

Abstract

AbstractIraq and other nations have had fatalities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which started from China. In Iraq, the 2020 coronavirus pandemic spread started on February 24–2020, in the Najaf province. Other cases of COVID-19 were detected in other governorates, where the overall number of confirmed infections in Iraq reached 2,114,313 including 24,267 deaths, as of January 16–2022. This study aims to identify infection recognition patterns using data mining applications by Remote Sensing RS and Geographical Information Systems GIS techniques to prepare coronavirus spread mapping based on spatial-temporal distribution and GIS-based spreading pattern processes in Iraq. In addition, to evaluate the air quality in the period of virus breakout and lockdown. The assessed data included the period from the beginning of the spread of the corona until its end. To present the mode of spread at the beginning of pandemic, we relied on statistical and remotely sensed data from February 24 to June 25–2020. Along with the results of the GIS spatial distribution maps, we provided a visual view of infection queries and presented the results as a spreading pattern map of COVID-19 in Iraq. Thus, GIS and remote sensing technologies are indispensable to overcoming contagious diseases by monitoring their geographical distribution.

Keywords

• coronavirus
• geographic distribution
• GIS
• Iraq
• remote sensing
• spreading pattern