THE IMPACT OF MEDIA COVERAGE ON THE DYNAMICS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE

TLDR

The study investigates how media coverage influences the spread and control of infectious disease in a region. The authors present a compartmental model that incorporates media coverage effects on disease dynamics. The model shows a globally asymptotically stable disease‑free equilibrium for R₀<1, and a unique endemic equilibrium that is asymptotically (and in a special case globally) stable when R₀>1.

Abstract

In this paper, we give a compartment model to discuss the influence of media coverage to the spreading and controlling of infectious disease in a given region. The model exhibits two equilibria: a disease-free and a unique endemic equilibrium. Stability analysis of the models shows that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the reproduction number (ℝ 0 ), which depends on parameters, is less than unity. But if ℝ 0 &gt; 1, it is shown that a unique endemic equilibrium appears, which is asymptotically stable. On a special case, the endemic equilibrium is globally stable. We discuss the role of media coverage on the spreading based on the theory results.