 The story is told in the form of a series of interviews conducted by the narrator , Max Brooks , an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission . Although the exact origin of the plague is unknown , a young boy from a village in China is identified as the plague 's official patient zero . The boy 's case marks the point where the Chinese government begins to take measures to cover up the disease , including generating a crisis with Taiwan to mask their activities . Nevertheless , the plague still manages to spread to various nations by human trafficking , refugees and the black market organ trade . Initially , these nations were able to cover up their smaller outbreaks , until a much larger outbreak in South Africa brings the plague to public attention . 
 The story is told in the form of a series of interviews conducted by the narrator , Max Brooks , an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission . Although the exact origin of the plague <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>unknown , a young boy from a village in China is identified as the plague <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>official patient zero . The boy <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>case <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>marks</mark></a> the point where the Chinese government <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>begins</mark></a> to take measures to cover up the disease , including generating a crisis with Taiwan to mask their activities . Nevertheless , the plague still <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>manages</mark></a> to spread to various nations by human trafficking , refugees and the black market organ trade . Initially , these nations <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> able to cover up their smaller outbreaks , until a much larger outbreak in South Africa <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>brings</mark></a> the plague to public attention . 
Da story is told in tdaform of a series of interviews conducted by the narrator , Max Brooks , an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission . Although the exact origin of the plague unknown , a young boy from a village in China is identified as the plague  official patient zero . Thdaoy  case mark the point where thedainese government begin to take measures to cover up the daease , including generating a crisis wid Taiwan to mask their activities . Nevertheless , the plague still manage to spread to various nations by human trafficking , refugees and the bdak market organ trade . Initially , these nations was able to cover up their smaller outbreaks , untill a much larger outbreak in South Africa bring the pldae to public attention .