Introduction

The ongoing global pandemic due to the COVID-19 virus has had varying impacts on the quality of life in different regions. This article aims to identify areas of high social vulnerability in the municipalities in Hidalgo with information gathered in 2015.

Methodology

The social vulnerability index was calculated by using the principal component analysis technique along with geographic information systems to evaluate its relationship with COVID-19 fatality ratio. Variables were constructed based on information taken from the 2015 Intercensal Survey for municipalities.

Results

Two regions, one in the northeast and the other in the southwest of the state of Hidalgo, showed a strong relationship between social vulnerability and the fatality ratio.

Conclusions

The variables that best explain social vulnerability in the Municipalities in Hidalgo are those that contemplate population characteristics. The findings could be used in planning social actions so that they not only focus on health care services in order to reduce the impacts of the current pandemic and reduce mortality due to COVID-19 in the most vulnerable sectors in Municipalities in Hidalgo.