Rapids

In "28 Days/Weeks Later" would the "Rage" virus really spread so quickly from city to city?

For example, the virus began to spread at a research lab in Cambridge. I can understand that this could conceivably reach London and result in a rapid spead across the greater London conurbation. But, my point is, would the virus really have the ability to spread to more distant cities like Leeds, Glasgow and Aberdeen? When "infected", a victim quickly exhibits symptoms - meaning that they can't travel on planes,trains and buses without other people knowing. If they did get onto this type of transport, they wouldn't be able to travel very far as infected passengers would either infect the drivers/pilots or they would result in the drivers/pilots stopping. Also, can the infected "detect" uninfected people miles away? If not, it would mean that once everyone in a metropolitan area were infected, these infected would just stay in that area and starve to death. Am I missing something? (I know they are just films!)

Public Comments

1. Did you ever read "The Stand" by Stephen King? Something highly contagious can get around the globe mighty fast these days.
2. Have you ever been on British Rail? It's like Dawn of the Dead, and that's on a good day!
3. A basic premise of virology is that the more quickly and easily it spreads and how debilitating it is, the quicker it is likely to die out, for most of the same reasons you mentioned. However, there is always the possibility that some people will only be carriers, but not develop symptoms of the virus, so it spreads that way (Typhoid Mary is a good example). Others could well be immune. Of course, since it's a movie, they have the leisure of relying on bad science. I don't remember that the people infected with the rage actually did eat. They starved to death anyway?
4. Just my opinion (I'm no doctor, just a zombie connoisseur), but I'd say it would be possible for it to spread. Though maybe not in 28 days. Unless, like in most horror movies, the people didn't notice the infected man spewing blood everywhere, and he 'just happened' to get on board a plane or something (Maybe in baggage?). Then after landing they all get bitten or something. And this also poses the question, wouldn't they be able to barricade themselves in a city once they knew about the infection? I don't know about them dying. We never really find out if they can just die off. Interesting question. :D
5. depends of mode of infection. air, fluid etc. if by air then probably faster than 28 days.