An SIER model to estimate optimal transmission rate and initial parameters of COVD-19 dynamic in Sri Lanka

COVID-19 global outbreak has been significantly damaging the human well-being, life style of people and the global economy. It is clear that the entire world is moving into a dangerous phase of this epidemic at the moment. With absence of a preventive vaccine, the governments across world implement, monitor and manage various public health and social distancing measures to control the spread of this extremely contagious disease and it is found that most of these responses have been critical results of numerous mathematical and decision support models. In this study, SEIR compartment structure is used to model the COVID-19 transmission in Sri Lanka. Reported cases data during the first 80 days of the outbreak is used to model the time dependent transmission rate of the disease. Optimal transmission rates and initial size of the exposed and infected sizes of the populations are then estimated matching between clinically identified cases to model based simulated outcomes.