A multi-agent model to simulate the spread of contagious diseases in urban areas

The study of epidemic's propagation in cities has become a crucial problem because of the importance of population mobility and promoting rapid contagion between individuals. The authorities of contaminated cities have not, in general, a more or less clear understanding of the evolution of the disease in order to take suitable decisions to fight efficiently against the epidemic. This paper presents an agent-based model devoted to the study of the spread of an epidemic in urban areas. Taking into account the interactions between agents in the urban environment and during their daily activities, the model allows studying the evolution of the epidemic and identifying factors that impact positively or negatively on the spread of the epidemic.