Bizzare coincidence: Dean Koontz 1981 fictional novel predicted coronavirus, internet users debate

The name of the book is  The Eyes of Darkness. The content of the thriller is going viral online due to its content where it mentioned a virus named Wuhan-400. 

In the novel, the virus was created in order to work as a weapon in a laboratory.

Incidentally, Wuhan city in China is believed to the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the real world and so far it has claimed nearly 1700 lives.

A Twitter user with the handle @DarrenPlymouth showcased the cryptic reference in the novel by sharing an excerpt of the book online.

He shared a page of the book with a caption that read: "It's a strange world we live in. #coronavirus #COVID19 #Wuhan."

Meanwhile, internet users are going crazy over the book.

One netizen Stephen tweeted: "Read most of Dean Koontz books and enjoyed how descriptive they were. This, however, is a little too close to the ."

Nother by the Twitter handle name Truth Bomber posted: "Holy shit! I remember this book!"

Twitter user AL Sanders tweeted: "Clearly this can not be a coincidence."

Even Indian politician Manish Tewari, who had earlier served as Union Minister, shared the book's picture and wrote: "Is Coranavirus a biological Weapon developed by the Chinese called Wuhan -400? This book was published in 1981. Do read the excerpt."

Who is Dean Koontz:

Dean is an American author. His novels are billed as suspense thrillers, but frequently incorporate elements of horror, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and satire.

Many of his books have appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list, with 14 hardcovers and 16 paperbacks reaching the number-one position.

Dean Koontz wrote under a number of pen names earlier in his career, including "David Axton", "Deanna Dwyer" , "K.R. Dwyer" , "Leigh Nichols", and "Brian Coffey". 

Image: Manish Tewari Twitter page