Interplay between population density and mobility in determining the spread of epidemics in cities

Abstract

The evolution of epidemic outbreaks in urban settings is known to stem from the interplay between demographic, structural, and economical characteristics. Here, the authors combine a data driven approach with meta-population modelling to show that the epidemic vulnerability of cities hinges on the morphology of human flows, and propose how a city’s mobility backbone could be modified to minimize the epidemic risk.