Numerical solution of COVID-19 pandemic model via finite difference and meshless techniques

In the present paper, a reaction-diffusion epidemic mathematical model is proposed for analysis of the transmission mechanism of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The mathematical model contains six-time and space-dependent classes, namely; Susceptible, Exposed, Asymptomatically infected, Symptomatic infected, Quarantine, and Recovered or Removed (SEQI_aI_sR). The threshold number R₀ is calculated by utilizing the next-generation matrix approach. In addition to the simple explicit procedure, the mathematical epidemiological model with diffusion is simulated through the operator splitting approach based on finite difference and meshless methods. Stability analysis of the disease free and endemic equilibrium points of the model is investigated. Simulation results of the model with and without diffusion are presented in detail. A comparison of the obtained numerical results of both the models is performed in the absence of an exact solution. The correctness of the solution is verified through mutual comparison and partly, via theoretical analysis as well.