  The spreading of epidemics is very much determined by the structure of the
contact network, which may be impacted by the mobility dynamics of the
individuals themselves. In confined scenarios where a small, closed population
spends most of its time in localized environments and has easily identifiable
mobility patterns --such as workplaces, university campuses or schools-- it is
of critical importance to identify the factors controlling the rate of disease
spread. Here we present a discrete-time, metapopulation-based model to describe
the transmission of SIS-like diseases that take place in confined scenarios
where the mobilities of the individuals are not random but, rather, follow
clear recurrent travel patterns. This model allows analytical determination of
the onset of epidemics, as well as the ability to discern which contact
structures are most suited to prevent the infection to spread. It thereby
determines whether common prevention mechanisms, as isolation, are worth
implementing in such a scenario and their expected impact.
