The Walking Deads' first episode was filmed in downtown Atlanta. And yes this is basically how it started......the CDC was trying to come up with a vaccine, etc.
Supposedly, it has to be passed with contact with body fluids from an infected person. It is not airborne that I know of. Of course there is always a possibility of a mutation............They will be bringing the 2nd Dr. that is infected here sometime next week.
First symptoms are flu like, followed by organ shutdown, etc. It is really nasty stuff, you basically bleed to death from the inside out.