Forecasting the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria using Box-Jenkins Modeling Procedure

  1. Rauf Rauf Ibrahim
  2. Hannah Oluwakemi Oladipo

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Abstract

Objective

This study is focused on the analysis of the spread of Covid-19 in Nigeria, applying statistical models and available data from the NCDC. We present an insight into the spread of Covid-19 in Nigeria in order to establish a suitable prediction model, which can be applied as a decision-supportive tool for assigning health interventions and mitigating the spread of the Covid-19 infection.

Methodology

Daily spread data from February 27 to April 26, 2020, were collected to construct the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model using the R software. Stability analysis and stationarity test, parameter test, and model diagnostic were also carried out. Finally, the fitting, selection and prediction accuracy of the ARIMA model was evaluated using the AICc model selection criteria.

Results

The ARIMA (1,1,0) model was finally selected among ARIMA models based upon the parameter test and Box–Ljung test. A ten-day forecast was also made from the model, which shows a steep upward trend of the spread of the COVID-19 in Nigeria within the selected time frame.

Conclusion

Federal Government of Nigeria through the presidential task force can apply the forecasted trend of much more spread to make more informed decisions on the additional measures in place to curb the spread of the virus. Application of the model can also assist in studying the effectiveness of the lockdown on the on the spread of Covid-19 in Nigeria.

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  1. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.05.05.20091686: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board Statementnot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    No key resources detected.

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

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  2. Version published to 10.1101/2020.05.05.20091686v1 on medRxiv