The Movie Contagion Surges In Popularity After Coronavirus Outbreak

The 2011 Steven Soderbergh movie Contagion has surged in popularity following the emergence of the real-life Coronovirus that has killed more than 100 people around the world.

You may recall that Contagion–featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, and other stars–told a story about a fictional deadly virus that originated in China before spreading around the world, leading to chaos and scientists scrambling to find a cure. Some part of that storyline is now happening in real life.

The Hollywood Reporter noticed that Contagion climbed up to No. 10 on the US iTunes movie rental chart. It’s the oldest movie on the charts by far, and it’s recent climb can surely be attributed to the real-world outbreak of the Coronavirus.

The majority of the deaths from the pneumonia-like illness have occurred in mainland China where the virus originated, according to the state-run China Global Television Network. China has quarantined entire cities as it tries to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Coronavirus outbreak also caused a huge surge in popularity of the video game Plague Inc., which is a real-time strategy game related to how diseases spread around the world. James Vaughn, the creator of Plague Inc., has advised people to seek out local and global health authorities for information on the Coronavirus, rather than relying on Plague Inc. as a learning tool.

Shanghai Disneyland has temporarily closed down amid concerns over the virus, while McDonald’s has closed thousands of locations in the country.

Go to GameSpot sister site CNET to see a detailed breakdown of the latest in the Coronavirus health crisis.

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