The City Agent Model of COVID-19 based on GIS and Application: A Case Study of Guangzhou

ABSTRACT

Since December 2019, a new type of coronavirus pneumonia has occurred in Wuhan, Hubei. The strong spread ability of the new coronavirus has led to the rapidly emergence of new coronaviruses throughout the country and even all over the world. In order to portray the spread line of the new coronavirus within the city and then provide reasonable suggestions for the prevention and control of the urban epidemic, this article constructs a new coronavirus intelligent simulation model by combining complex network theory and GIS technology based on the behavior and social relationships of individuals in the city. Considering to the facts that it is necessary to strictly prevent the import of overseas cases to prevent the local epidemic from rebounding in cities with complex composition of population. This agent model takes the first entry point for overseas entry, Guangzhou city, as the research object to review the development of the epidemic. The attributes and rules of the model was determined by collecting statistical data from the literatures. Then the parameters were fitted by the Markov chain Monte Carlo method to achieve an accurate review of the epidemic situation in Guangzhou. The model is of high accuracy whose MAPE value have achieved 0.17. Meanwhile, this model also has good applicability which can simulate the impact of imported cases from abroad on the development of urban epidemics. Since the agent model marks the individual's time and space location and social relationship, this paper proposes a method for epidemiological investigation through the agent model, which is more convenient and more efficient than traditional epidemiological investigations.This article also visually displays the results of the infection chain, which is convenient for analyzing the activity trajectory of virus carriers and close contacts. This model provides valuable decision-making information for urban epidemic prevention and control. Moreover, the simulation results show that if there is another epidemic outbreak in the city, the epidemic will be controlled within 14-20 days so the citizens don't need to be panic. However, it is still necessary to improve self-protection awareness and protect individuals finely, especially the children and the elderly. When the epidemic comes again, it is recommended that schools and enterprises should establish a joint health monitoring mechanism to strengthen the health monitoring of children and employees, respectively. Relevant governmental departments have to strengthened the spread of epidemic prevention knowledge and persuaded retired people to reduce gatherings and wear masks reasonably. 2021, Science Press. All right reserved.