How Do Eigenvalues Help in Understanding Disease Spread?
In epidemiological models, the basic reproduction number (R0) is a critical threshold parameter. It determines whether an infectious disease will spread in a population. Eigenvalues of the next-generation matrix, derived from the model, help in calculating R0. If the largest eigenvalue (dominant eigenvalue) is greater than 1, the disease is expected to spread; if it is less than 1, the disease will die out.
