Modeling the epidemic trend of middle eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus with optimal control

Abstract

<abstract><p>Since the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012 in the Middle East, we have proposed a deterministic theoretical model to understand its transmission between individuals and MERS-CoV reservoirs such as camels. We aim to calculate the basic reproduction number ($ \mathcal{R}_{0} $) of the model to examine its airborne transmission. By applying stability theory, we can analyze and visualize the local and global features of the model to determine its stability. We also study the sensitivity of $ \mathcal{R}_{0} $ to determine the impact of each parameter on the transmission of the disease. Our model is designed with optimal control in mind to minimize the number of infected individuals while keeping intervention costs low. The model includes time-dependent control variables such as supportive care, the use of surgical masks, government campaigns promoting the importance of masks, and treatment. To support our analytical work, we present numerical simulation results for the proposed model.</p></abstract>