A small town in California unknowingly faces extinction when a deadly strain of Ebola Virus breaks out. A young man steals an infected monkey headed for a research lab to sell it to a pet shop. When people start to die, the CDC is called in. Col. Sam Daniels (Dustin Hoffman) and his wife (Rene Russo) are scientists in search of the monkey and a cure. Meanwhile, over-zealous Maj. Gen. McClintock (Donald Sutherland) wants to drop a huge fire-bomb on the California town to contain the spread of the virus. Brig. General Billy Ford (Morgan Freeman) tries to dissuade him, but McClintock has a secret agenda and orders the bombers to head for the town.