A Wiener process with jumps to model the logarithm of new epidemic cases

Abstract

The number of daily new cases of an epidemic is assumed to evolve as the exponential of a Wiener process with Poissonian jumps that are exponentially distributed. The model parameters can be estimated by using the method of moments. In an application to the COVID-19 pandemic in the province of Québec, Canada, the proposed model is shown to be acceptable. General formulas for the probability that a given increase in the number of daily new cases is due to the normal variations of the continuous part of the process or rather to a jump of this process are given. Based on these formulas, the probability of observing the likely start of a new wave of infections is calculated for the application to the COVID-19 pandemic.