Complex dynamics of a fractional-order SIR system in the context of COVID-19

This paper proposes and analyses a new fractional-order SIR type epidemic model with a saturated treatment function. The detailed dynamics of the corresponding system, including the equilibrium points and their existence and uniqueness, uniform-boundedness, and stability of the solutions are studied. The threshold parameter, basic reproduction number of the system which determines the disease dynamics is derived, and the condition of occurrence of backward bifurcation is also determined. Some numerical works are conducted to validate our analytical results for the commensurate fractional-order system. Hopf bifurcations for the fractional-order system are studied by taking the order of the fractional differential as a bifurcation parameter.