Dynamics of an SIR epidemic model with limited medical resources revisited

Abstract

The dynamics of an SIR epidemic model is explored in this paper in order to understand how the limited medical resources and their supply efficiency affect the transmission of infectious diseases. The study reveals that, with varying amount of medical resources and their supply efficiency, the target model admits both backward bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation. Sufficient criteria are established for the existence of backward bifurcation, the existence, the stability and the direction of Hopf bifurcation. The mechanism of backward bifurcation and its implication for the control of the infectious disease are also explored. Numerical simulations are presented to support and complement the theoretical findings.