Exploring the complex dynamics of a diffusive epidemic model: Stability and bifurcation analysis

The recent pandemic has highlighted the need to understand how we resist infections and their causes, which may differ from the ways we often think about treating epidemic diseases. The current study presents an improved version of the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) epidemic model, to better comprehend the community’s overall dynamics of diseases, involving numerous infectious agents. The model deals with a non-monotone incidence rate that exhibits psychological or inhibitory influence and a saturation treatment rate. It has been identified that depending on the measure of medical resources and the effectiveness of their supply, the model exposes both forward and backward bifurcations where two endemic equilibria coexist with infection-free equilibrium. The model also experiences local and global bifurcations of codimension two, including saddle-node, Hopf, and Bogdanov–Takens bifurcations. Additionally, the stability of equilibrium points is investigated. For a spatially extended SIR model system, we have shown that cross-diffusion allows S and I populations to coexist in a habitat. Also, the Turing instability requirements and Turing bifurcation regime are derived. The relationship between distinct role-playing model parameters and various pattern formations like spot and stripe patterns is validated by carrying out in-depth numerical simulations. The findings in the vicinity of the endemic equilibrium solution demonstrate the significance of positive and negative valued cross-diffusion coefficients in regulating the genesis of spatial patterns in susceptible as well as diseased individuals. The discussion of the findings of epidemiological ramifications concludes the manuscript.