Former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane, his wife, Karin, and their two daughters, Rachel and Connie, are in heavy Philadelphia traffic when the city is overrun by zombies; Gerry discovers it takes 12 seconds for an infection to complete. As chaos spreads, the Lanes escape to Newark and take refuge in an apartment with a couple and their young son, Tommy. They are rescued by a helicopter sent by U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Thierry Umutoni, and bring Tommy with them after his parents were both infected due to their refusal to accompany them. The group is brought to a U.S. Navy vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, where scientists and military personnel are analyzing the outbreak. Andrew Fassbach, a virologist, insists the plague is a virus and the development of a vaccine depends on finding its origin, and Gerry, after his family are threatened with eviction from the safety of the vessel, agrees to help Fassbach in his search. Gerry, Fassbach, and a Navy SEAL escort first fly to Camp Humphreys in South Korea where the first report of zombies occurred. Upon landing they are attacked by zombies causing Fassbach to panic and accidentally kill himself when he trips over and accidentally shoots himself in the head with his own gun. American soldiers at the camp rescue the team, and Gerry learns the infection was introduced to the base by its doctor. Gerry interviews an imprisoned CIA officer at the base who tells him to go to Israel, revealing Israeli Mossad were able to learn about the virus before the outbreak occurred and managed to build a safe zone. Karin attempts to contact Gerry by phone and the group is attacked by zombies attracted by the ringing, while only Gerry and the pilot escape. In Jerusalem, Gerry meets Jurgen Warmbrunn, a high-ranking official in Mossad, who explains that they have intercepted the communications from armies of Indian troops fighting against the "rakshasa" (Zombies). With their knowledge, the country managed to quarantine itself by building a large wall, and allows a large number of refugees to enter the city. While Warmbrunn shows Gerry around, a loud celebratory singing from the refugees attracts zombies from the outside of the city and they breach the wall. As the city is quickly overrun, Warmbrunn orders Israeli soldiers to escort Gerry back to his plane, being provided air support from an Israeli Defence Force helicopter. On the