Perspectives on modelling epidemics with human mobility

College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology - 410073 Changsha, China

Received: 22 December 2024
Accepted: 23 January 2025

Abstract

Human mobility serves as a fundamental component in shaping the contact networks through which infectious diseases propagate during pandemics. It significantly influences the spatial and temporal patterns of disease transmission among individuals. Traditional epidemic models often struggle to capture the complexity of these heterogeneous contact patterns. In contrast, models incorporating human mobility, which account for the movement of individuals across regions, offer a detailed perspective on micro-level interactions and their impact on disease spread. The discussion highlights four types of epidemic models that integrate human mobility, including compartment models, complex network models, agent-based models and machine learning models, emphasising their crucial roles in epidemic prediction and control. Additionally, it provides insights into the broader implications of human mobility on dynamic-modelling and decision-making within the context of epidemics.