An epidemic of a certain
disease has a root with a positive real part. It follows that, in a short
outbreak, everyone will probably be infected. The purpose of this academic
article is to inform about such a scenario. Instead of naming a particular
disease, zombies were taken as an example. First, the basic model is explained:
susceptible, zombie and removed. Secondly, the model with the latent infection
analyses how the susceptible individuals become infected before the outbreak of
the disease. Thirdly, the model with quarantine focuses on the contagious
individuals and how they are removed from the population and set in quarantine
in order not to infect the still healthy individuals. The treatment model takes
in consideration that a cure can be found but it would not provide immunity for
the body, hence a repeated infection could be possible. The last method strategically
focuses on destroying the disease at such times that our resources permit.
Giving the disease a latent period of infection, it will again take over the
population. Putting individuals in quarantine would only solve the problem for
a short period of time and would not impact the system as a whole. Although the
method with treatment would provide a cure, some would still die because of
repeated infection. The outbreak of an epidemic is most likely to be disastrous
for humans, unless extremely aggressive tactics are employed against the virus
and the infected individuals.
(238 words)
XOXO A.
