Duncan Gathungu

Dr. Duncan Gathungu

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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23 July 2020 in BMC Research Notes
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Journal Article
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SMSamuel Mwalili
Samuel Mwalili
MKMark Kimathi
Mark Kimathi
VOViona Ojiambo
Viona Ojiambo
DGDuncan Gathungu
Duncan Gathungu
Rachel Waema MbogoRachel Waema Mbogo
Rachel Waema Mbogo
Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic respiratory illness spreading from person-to-person caused by a novel coronavirus and poses a serious public health risk. The goal of this study was to apply a modified susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) compartmental mathematical model for prediction of COVID-19 epidemic dynamics incorporating pathogen in the environment and interventions. The next generation matrix approach was used to determine the basic reproduction number $$R_0$$ R 0 . The model equations are solved numerically using fourth and fifth order Runge–Kutta methods. Results: We found an $$R_0$$ R 0 of 2.03, implying that the pandemic will persist in the human population in the absence of strong control measures. Results after simulating various scenarios indicate that disregarding social distancing and hygiene measures can have devastating effects on the human population. The model shows that quarantine of contacts and isolation of cases can help halt the spread on novel coronavirus.

1 January 2021 in Infectious Disease Modelling
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Journal Article
Open access
MKMark Kimathi
Mark Kimathi
SMSamuel Mwalili
Samuel Mwalili
VOViona Ojiambo
Viona Ojiambo
DGDuncan Gathungu
Duncan Gathungu
Coronavirus disease 2019 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Kenya reported its first case on March 13, 2020 and by March 16, 2020 she instituted physical distancing strategies to reduce transmission and flatten the epidemic curve. An age-structured compartmental model was developed to assess the impact of the strategies on COVID-19 severity and burden. Contacts between different ages are incorporated via contact matrices. Simulation results show that 45% reduction in contacts for 60-days period resulted to 11.5–13% reduction of infections severity and deaths, while for the 190-days period yielded 18.8–22.7% reduction. The peak of infections in the 60-days mitigation was higher and happened about 2 months after the relaxation of mitigation as compared to that of the 190-days mitigation, which happened a month after mitigations were relaxed. Low numbers of cases in children under 15 years was attributed to high number of asymptomatic cases. High numbers of cases are reported in the 15–29 years and 30–59 years age bands. Two mitigation periods, considered in the study, resulted to reductions in severe and critical cases, attack rates, hospital and ICU bed demands, as well as deaths, with the 190-days period giving higher reductions.

17 September 2022 in Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
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Journal Article
Open access
HEHabtamu Ayalew Engida
Habtamu Ayalew Engida
DTDavid Mwangi Theuri
David Mwangi Theuri
DGDuncan Gathungu
Duncan Gathungu
JGJohn Gachohi
John Gachohi
HAHaileyesus Tessema Alemneh
Haileyesus Tessema Alemneh
This work is aimed at formulating and analyzing a compartmental mathematical model to investigate the impact of rodent-born leptospirosis on the human population by considering a load of pathogenic agents of the disease in an environment and the incidence rate of human infection due to the interaction between infected rodents and the environment. Firstly, the basic properties of the model, the equilibria points, and their stability analysis are studied. We also found the basic reproduction number R 0 of the model using the next-generation matrix approach. From the stability analysis, we obtained that the disease-free equilibrium (DFE) is globally asymptotically stable if R 0 < 1 and unstable otherwise. The local stability of endemic equilibrium is performed using the phenomenon of the center manifold theory, and the model exhibits forward bifurcation. The most sensitive parameters on the model outcome are also identified using the normalized forward sensitivity index. Finally, numerical simulations of the model are performed to show the stability behavior of endemic equilibrium and the varying effect of the human transmission rates, human recovery rate, and the mortality rate rodents on the model dynamics. The model is simulated using the forward fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, and the results are presented graphically. From graphical stability analysis, we observed that all trajectories of the model solutions evolve towards the unique endemic equilibrium over time when R 0 > 1 . Our numerical results revealed that decreasing the transmission rates and increasing the rate of recovery and reduction of the rodent population using appropriate intervention mechanisms have a significant role in reducing the spread of disease infection in the population.

21 February 2024 in Heliyon
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Journal Article
Open access
HEHabtamu Ayalew Engida
Habtamu Ayalew Engida
DGDuncan Gathungu
Duncan Gathungu
MFMelkamu Molla Ferede
Melkamu Molla Ferede
MBMalede Atnaw Belay
Malede Atnaw Belay
PKPatiene Chouop Kawe
Patiene Chouop Kawe
BMBilali Mataru
Bilali Mataru
In this work, we formulated and investigated an optimal control problem of the melioidosis epidemic to explain the effectiveness of time-dependent control functions in controlling the spread of the epidemic. The basic reproduction number (R0c) with control measures is obtained, using the next-generation matrix approach and the impact of the controls on R0c is illustrated numerically. The optimal control problem is analyzed using Pontryagin's maximum principle to derive the optimality system. The optimality system is simulated using the forward-backward sweep method based on the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method in the MATLAB program to illustrate the impact of all the possible combinations of the control interventions on the transmission dynamics of the disease. The numerical results indicate that among strategies considered, strategy C is shown to be the most effective in reducing the number of infectious classes compared to both strategy A and strategy B. Furthermore, we carried out a cost-effectiveness analysis to determine the most cost-effective strategy and the result indicated that the strategy B (treatment control strategy) should be recommended to mitigate the spread and impact of the disease regarding the costs of the strategies.

15 November 2022 in Heliyon
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
HEHabtamu Ayalew Engida
Habtamu Ayalew Engida
DTDavid Mwangi Theuri
David Mwangi Theuri
DGDuncan Gathungu
Duncan Gathungu
JGJohn Gachohi
John Gachohi
HAHaileyesus Tessema Alemneh
Haileyesus Tessema Alemneh
In this paper, we develop and examine a mathematical model of human melioidosis transmission with asymptomatic cases to describe the dynamics of the epidemic. The basic reproduction number ( R 0 ) of the model is obtained. Disease-free equilibrium of the model is proven to be globally asymptotically stable when R 0 is less than the unity, while the endemic equilibrium of the model is shown to be locally asymptotically stable if R 0 is greater than unity. Sensitivity analysis is performed to illustrate the effect of the model parameters influencing on the disease dynamics. Furthermore, numerical experiments of the model are conducted to validate the theoretical findings.

28 August 2024 in Results in Control and Optimization
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Journal Article
Open access
MDMunkaila Dasumani
Munkaila Dasumani
Stephen Edward MooreStephen Edward Moore
Stephen Edward Moore
DGDuncan Gathungu
Duncan Gathungu
BDBoubacar Diallo
Boubacar Diallo