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There is a pressing need to rapidly simulate accurate complex conceptual models (Agent-based Models) for the spread of an epidemic within a population. Accurate agent-based models allow for thorough scenario planning allowing on to simulate the impact of extensive external factors. This research aims at understanding how one might reduce the parameterization time of a complex conceptual model without reducing its accuracy. This understanding will be enriched by tapping into state-of-the-art (SOTA) research in online and offline machine learning (ML) algorithms for surrogate models.

The objective of this research is to comparatively assess the changes in dietary habits of various populations during the COVID-19 lockdown and to also determine the effect this has on people’s health. As a result of the lockdown situation to combat the spread of COVID-19, movements have been restricted, offices have also been closed and staff asked to work from home except for essential services. This has affected people’s eating habits and brought about changes in their dietary patterns. With time, these changes may have adverse effects on the health of people especially if the changes

Accumulating data confirms that coronaviruses are not restricted to the respiratory system and that they are able to invade the central nervous system leading to neurological disorders. Nonetheless, studies to date of COVID-19 have primarily focussed on morbidity and/or pulmonary function, but within the literature neurologic signs have been recorded in some patients and include headache, vomiting, hyposmia, impaired consciousness, stroke and encephalopathy. It is likely that as a result of the current pandemic, many COVID-19 patients will sustain brain injury through hypoxia or other poorly

Wastewater monitoring has been successfully used to identify illicit drug hotspots, and track and provide early warnings of occurrences of pathogenic viruses such as Hepatitis A and Norovirus. Likewise, there is a potential value in using wastewater surveillance to monitor the existence and spread of the novel Covid-19 virus in communities. Due to the multiple shedding routes ( through saliva, respiratory secretions, urine and faeces) of the virus from infected individuals, the COVID-19 virus, or at least its RNA strands, may reach collection systems and water resources recovery facilities

With the economic and practical limits of medical screening for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 coming sharply into focus worldwide, scientists are turning now to wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a potential tool for assessing and managing the pandemic. This approach is built on the knowledge that some infected persons shed viral particles/RNA in their stool as a result of gastrointestinal infections (GI) and other excreta. Early reports from Wuhan, China, showed that abdominal pain (an indication of GI infections) was reported more frequently in patients admitted into intensive care, than

In order to capture the nature and the impact of Covid-19 on South African society, the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Social Change (CSC) and the Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES) research division at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) undertook an online cross-sectional survey, which was initiated on 13 April 2020 and fielded until the 14 May. The main aim of this UJ-HSRC Covid-19 Democracy Survey was to determine public perceptions of the economic, social and political impact of Covid-19 on life across the country. This research will continue with further

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown implemented to prevent the spread of the virus has created a crisis in the economy and in education as well as posing a challenge for public health. During public health crises as what we are currently experiencing, an immense and immediate need for information and effective crisis communication is created among the public. This coupled with social media users’ inclination to share information, particularly news, regardless of whether they themselves believe the news or not, creates the circumstances for misinformation (inaccurate information) and

For the past years, the South African disaster management fraternity has invested significantly in disaster response and less in disaster risk reduction, in particular risk communication. Such activities transpired since the promulgation of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 and the National Disaster Management Framework of 2005, which mandate its operations. Moreover, these legislations mandate a proactive approach for disaster management institutions. This approach strongly requires the fraternity to place its focus on disaster risk reduction and strategic risk communication is pivotal