COVID-19: Estimation of the Actual Onset of Local Epidemic Cycles, Determination of Total Number of Infective, and Duration of the Incubation Period

BackgroundMost studies of the epidemic cycles of the pandemic of Sars-CoV-2, or COVID-19 as it became known, define the beginning of specific cycles in countries from the laboratory identification of the first cases of infection, however, there is the awareness that cycles may have started earlier, without proper identification. This influences all the parameters that govern the statistical models used for controlling the infection. PurposeThis work proposes two models based on experimental data. The Logistic Model it is used to obtain three parameters of the epidemic cycle of COVID-19, namely: the final count for the total infected, the daily infection rate and the lag time. Complimentary, a novel inventory model is proposed to calculate the number of infective persons, as well as to determine the incubation period. MethodsThe data on epidemic cycles of Germany, Italy, and Sweden are treated previously by the Moving Average Method with Initial value (MAMI), then a variation of the Logistic Model, obtained through curve-fitting, is used to obtain the three parameters. The inventory model is introduced to calculate the actual number of infected persons and the behavior of the incubation period is analyzed. ResultsAfter comparing data from the three countries it is possible to determine the actual probable dates of the beginning of the epidemic cycles for each one, determine the size of the incubation period, as well as to determine the total number of infective persons during the cycle. ConclusionsThe actual probable dates of the beginning of the epidemic cycles in the countries analyzed are determined, the total number of infected is determined, and it is statistically proven that the incubation cycle for Sars-CoV-2 is five days.