A random-walk-based epidemiological model

Abstract Random walkers on a two-dimensional square lattice are used to explore the spatio-temporal growth of an epidemic. We have found that a simple random-walk system generates non-trivial dynamics compared with traditional well-mixed models. Phase diagrams characterizing the long-term behaviors...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andrew Chu, Greg Huber, Aaron McGeever, Boris Veytsman, David Yllanes
Format: article
Language:EN
Published: Nature Portfolio 2021
Subjects:
R
Q
Online Access:https://doaj.org/article/22d866b7c9724cea9da6866d2e511a04
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Random walkers on a two-dimensional square lattice are used to explore the spatio-temporal growth of an epidemic. We have found that a simple random-walk system generates non-trivial dynamics compared with traditional well-mixed models. Phase diagrams characterizing the long-term behaviors of the epidemics are calculated numerically. The functional dependence of the basic reproductive number $$R_{0}$$ R 0 on the model’s defining parameters reveals the role of spatial fluctuations and leads to a novel expression for $$R_{0}$$ R 0 . Special attention is given to simulations of inter-regional transmission of the contagion. The scaling of the epidemic with respect to space and time scales is studied in detail in the critical region, which is shown to be compatible with the directed-percolation universality class.