Stephen King tweeted on Sunday that his postapocalyptic novel "The Stand" was "NOT like" the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 3,800 people and spread to more than 100 countries.

The virus in "The Stand" rapidly wipes out most of humanity. The coronavirus is most dangerous for people who are already at a medical risk, such as smokers and the elderly.

Despite King's thoughts on the subject, the 2011 movie "Contagion" is rising in popularity, showing that demand for fictional depictions of pandemics could be on the rise.

A series adaptation of "The Stand" has been in the works at CBS All Access since last year.

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The horror author Stephen King is tired of people comparing one of his classic books to the novel coronavirus.

King tweeted on Sunday that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 "is NOT like" his 1978 postapocalyptic novel, "The Stand," which is about a virus that wipes out most of humanity.

"It's not anywhere near as serious," King said. "It's eminently survivable. Keep calm and take all reasonable precautions."

While the new coronavirus has killed more than 3,800 people and spread to more than 100 countries this year, the fictional virus in "The Stand," which was a strain of the flu manufactured for warfare, spread far more rapidly and was far deadlier.

COVID-19's symptoms are similar to the flu's, but while the new disease so far has a higher death rate, Business Insider's Holly Secon has noted that many health experts expect the rate to fall as more milder cases are diagnosed. The coronavirus is most dangerous for people who are already at a medical risk, such as smokers and the elderly. Experts insist that people take the necessary precautions, such as regularly washing your hands and avoiding touching your face.

Despite King's thoughts on the subject, the 2011 movie "Contagion" is rising in popularity, particularly on the iTunes charts and on piracy sites, showing that demand for fictional depictions of pandemics could be on the rise. The streaming service CBS All Access ordered a series adaptation of "The Stand" last year, which is set to star Alexander Skarsgård, James Marsden, Amber Heard, and Whoopi Goldberg.