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A new way to accurately estimate COVID-19 death toll

Mathematical model can predict cumulative deaths in US

Date:
April 30, 2020
Source:
Rutgers University
Summary:
A new mathematical model has been created to estimate the death toll linked to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and could be used around the world.
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A Rutgers engineer has created a mathematical model that accurately estimates the death toll linked to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and could be used around the world.

"Based on data available on April 28, the model showed that the COVID-19 pandemic might be over in the United States, meaning no more American deaths, by around late June 2020," said Hoang Pham, a distinguished professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the School of Engineering at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "But if testing and contact tracing strategies, social-distancing policies, reopening of community strategies or stay-at-home policies change significantly in the coming days and weeks, the predicted death toll will also change."

The model, detailed in a study published in the journal Mathematics, predicted the death toll would eventually reach about 68,120 in the United States as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19. That's based on data available on April 28, and there was high confidence (99 percent) the expected death toll would be between 66,055 and 70,304.

The model's estimates and predictions closely match reported death totals. As of April 29, more than 58,000 Americans had succumbed to COVID-19, according to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Tracking Map.

The next steps include applying the model to global COVID-19 death data as well as to other nations such as Italy and Spain, both of which have experienced thousands of deaths due to COVID-19. The model could also be used to evaluate population mortality and the spread of other diseases.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Rutgers University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Hoang Pham. On Estimating the Number of Deaths Related to Covid-19. Mathematics, 2020; 8 (5): 655 DOI: 10.3390/math8050655

Cite This Page:

Rutgers University. "A new way to accurately estimate COVID-19 death toll." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 April 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200430091256.htm>.
Rutgers University. (2020, April 30). A new way to accurately estimate COVID-19 death toll. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 10, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200430091256.htm
Rutgers University. "A new way to accurately estimate COVID-19 death toll." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200430091256.htm (accessed December 10, 2024).

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