Mathematical Modelling of the Impact of Misinformation on the Spread of Covid-19
| dc.contributor.author | Thiong’o, John | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-02-14T06:54:52Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-02-14T06:54:52Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-08 | |
| dc.description | A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Masters of Science (Applied Mathematics) in the School of Pure and Applied Sciences of Kenyatta University, August 2024. Supervisor Kennedy Awuor | |
| dc.description.abstract | COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a viral disease of the respiratory system that emerged in 2019 and spread across all continents. The virus swiftly spread because of the unprecedented speed at which information, particularly false information, has spread in this century. This study established a mathematical model to analyze how misinformation influenced the transmission rate of COVID-19. The study employs SEIR mathematical model that integrates misinformation factor to analyze its impact on transmission rates. The obtained basic reproductive number (R0), which is the average number of new infections caused by infected person was used to assess the illiness contagiousness. The study also derived stability conditions for the equilibrium points of the model and discussed the long-term dynamics of the disease. The model was then solved numerically using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method to investigate the effects of changing parameters as well as the simulation of various scenarios. The Results demonstrated that elevating the rates of misinformation had a positive correlation with both infected and recovered compartmet. The susceptible population first declined and then rose with the increase in the rate of misinformation. These findings pointed out understanding how misinformation affects the spread of COVID-19 will help researchers develop strategies that will effectively combat misinformation and limit the disease’s spread, thereby reducing the overall impact of the disease. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/29589 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Mathematical Modelling of the Impact of Misinformation on the Spread of Covid-19 | |
| dc.type | Thesis |