A comparative numerical study and stability analysis for a fractional-order SIR model of childhood diseases

Abstract

The objective of this work is to examine the dynamics of a fractional-order susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model that simulate epidemiological diseases such as childhood diseases. An effective numerical scheme based on Grünwald–Letnikov fractional derivative is suggested to solve the considered model. A stability analysis is performed to qualitatively examine the dynamics of the SIR model. The reliability and robustness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated by comparing obtained results with results obtained from a fourth order Runge–Kutta built-in Maple syntax when considering derivatives of integer order. Graphical illustrations of the numerical results are given. The inaccuracy of some results presented in two studies exist in the literature have been clearly explained. Generalizing of the cases examined in another study, by considering a model with fraction-order derivatives, is another objective of this work as well.