The two key mutations are Genetic Mimic and Sympto-Stasis. I started in China.

Only devolve the lethal symptoms and use Symbiosis 1-3 to keep severity under 6 until ca 85% infection in China. Then severity has to be 0 to stay undetected.

Get Drug Resistance 1 and, only if needed to infect islands, Water 1. Nothing else.

Keep devolving only the lethal symptoms until severity can’t be kept at zero anymore. (Took me 9 years…) Then evolve all symptoms and Genetic Hardening 1+2 right away. Use incoming dna from deaths for the rest of the cure abilities. Profit!

1)Start in China. Don’t upgrade any symptoms until the end. This is critical.

2)Upgrade Air 1,2 & Water 1,2 and unlock Bioaerosol.

3)Upgrade Cold Resistance 1 & Heat Resistance 1.

4) Upgrade Drug Resistance 1,2.

5) Bank points until everyone is infected.

6) Unlock Cysts, Hypersensitivity, Paralysis, Coma, Total Organ Failure.

7) You will spend all of your points on symptoms, but you’ll earn them from deaths. Use new points for reshuffles.

8) Win. You’re welcome

Insect

Insects susceptible to infection. Carriers increase infectivity, especially in hot climates and chance of mutation

Zoonotic Shift

Genetic shift in virus increases infectivity, mutation chance and makes cross species infection possible. Increases future research speed

Bird 1

Host range broadens to include birds. Increases infectivity, land transmission and mutation chance

Bat 1

Host range broadens to include bats which are hard to detect. Increases infectivity and mutation chance

Rodent 1

Host range broadens to include rats. Increases infectivity, especially in urban regions and mutation chance

Bird 2

Partial genetic activation triggers random bird attacks on humans. Significantly increases infectivity and land transmission

Bat 2

Partial genetic activation causes bats to mob and attack humans at night. Significantly increases infectivity and attacks can be lethal

Rodent 2

Partial genetic activation causes rat packs to attack humans. Significantly increases infectivity, especially in urban regions

Saliva 1

Virus replicates faster in salivary glands – increasing chance of infection through contact with saliva

Saliva 2

Virus replicates directly in nasal cavity – significantly increasing chance of infection through contact with mucus

Gastrointestinal Expansion

Virus can replicate in stomach and intestine, increasing infectiousness through faeces and vomit

Urogenital Expansion

Virus can replicate in kidneys and urinary tract, increasing infectiousness through urine and other bodily fluids

Water 1

Virus can survive outside the body in fresh, warm water. Increase infectivity, especially in humid environments and ship transmission

Water 2

Virus able to survive in chemically treated water. Increase infectivity, especially in humid environments and ship transmission

Blood 1

Virus enters the circulatory system, blood is now a transmission vector. Poor countries particularly vulnerable

Blood 2

Virus can replicate directly in the blood stream, significantly increasing infectivity. Poor countries particularly vulnerable

Air 1

Virus bypasses alveolar macrophages in lungs to enter bloodstream. Increase infectivity, especially in arid environments and plane transmission

Air 2

Virus can travel on dust particles. Increases infectivity, especially in arid environments and plane transmission

Air 3

Virus replicates rapidly in aerosoled brain matter. Significantly increases risk of infection if interacting with zombie brains

Autolytic Delay

Virus slows release of digestive enzymes from cells’ lysosomes – slowing decomposition of corpse

Putrefactive Resistance

Virus prevents anaerobic microorganisms from digesting proteins – slowing decomposition of corpse

Liquefactive Resistance

Virus denatures hydrolytic enzymes, slowing liquefactive necrosis and decomposition of the corpse

Segmented Genome

Virus splits its genome into smaller molecules – increasing the likelihood of a viable mutation during transmission

Insomnia

Inability to sleep causes irritation and tiredness. Slows future research speed

Photophobia

Sensitivity and pain when eyes exposed to sunlight. Slows future research speed but slightly reduces infection rates

Fever

Increase in temperature causes general feeling of sickness and reduces concentration. Slows future research speed

Coma

Pressure buildup in the brain stem can cause loss of consciousness. Significantly slows future research speed but reduces infection rates

Hyper Salivation

Inflammation of the submandibular gland increases saliva production and infection rates

Gastroenteritis

Inflammation of the GI tract causes frequent vomiting. Significantly increases infection rates

Polyphagia

Compulsive hunger forces continuous eating. Lack of hygiene increases risk of infection

Autophagia

Compulsion to bite or partially devour own body – typically fingers or skin. Increases infection rates

Cannibalism

Extreme compulsion to bite and eat other humans – significantly increasing infectivity as well as lethality

Psychosis

Psychotic episodes lead to occasional bursts of extreme violence which can be lethal. Increases infectivity and slows future research speed

Delirium

Reduction in cognitive function causes irrationality and paranoia. Can be fatal and significantly slows future research speed

Acute Encephalitis

Multiple inflammatory lesions in the brain cause severe neurological damage resulting in death

Cytopathic Reanimation

Formation of complex neural structures enables re-animation of damaged cells and restoration of low level vitals. Turns dead into zombies

Anaerobic Resuscitation

Infected braincells switch to anaerobic respiration. Lactic acid buildup is lethal and destroys higher brain processes and personality

Lumbrical Hypertrophy

Significantly strengthens zombie grip making it nearly impossible for prey to break free. Severity significantly increased

Peptide Surge

Growth hormone production triggers extreme metabolism of fat to build muscle. Enhanced strength increases severity

Anabolic Boost

Surges of testosterone significantly increase muscle mass and weight of some zombies. Severity significantly increased

Masticatory Tension

Masticatory muscles become engorged, allowing zombie to bite through thick clothing. Severity increased

Acidic Reflux

Extreme laryngopharyngeal reflux causes acidic saliva. Increases severity and gives zombies a combat advantage

Naja Mortis

Muscle growth around submandibular duct lets some zombies projectile spit at prey. Increases severity and zombie combat advantage

Autothysis

Explosive mix of hydrogen sulphide and methane collects inside zombie. Significantly increases severity and zombie combat advantage

Cranial Elephantitis

Adenoma triggers mutated growth hormones which encourage bone growth in the skull. Gives zombie combat advantage

Dermal Calcification

Mutations in the endocrine system cause parts of skin to harden and calcify. Gives zombies a combat advantage

Bone Dysplasia

Increased bone density provides enhanced protection against trauma. Gives zombies a significant combat advantage

Adrenal Surge

Mutation of the adrenal cortex causes adrenaline over-production, increasing alertness and aggression of zombies

Enhanced Motor Control

Nutrient flow to the parietal lobe increased, improving movement and co-ordination. Increases severity, particularly in urban environments

Enhanced Sensory Integration

Nutrient flow to the occipital and temporal lobes increased. Enhanced sight and hearing increases severity

Hyperosmia

Thinning of the nasal epithelium significantly heightens zombie sense of smell. Increases severity

Temporal Lobe Manipulation

Zombies attracted to movement and will abandon victims once dead. Prey more likely to remain intact and become a zombie

Vampiric Hunger

Zombie prefers to suck the blood from its prey rather than eat the flesh. Prey more likely to remain intact and become a zombie

Cathemeral Shift

Stimulation of primary visual cortex improves vision in bright sunlight. Significantly increases severity