'The Handmaid's Tale' S4 on hold amid coronavirus scare

The fourth season of acclaimed dystopian drama "The Handmaid's Tale" is shutting down production over health concerns in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

Based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name, the show is set around the dystopian country of Gilead where women are stripped of their rights and forced into sexual slavery.

Series lead Elisabeth Moss on Sunday took to Instagram to share the news.

The actor, who will be making her directorial debut with the new season of the multiple award winning show, said the team was putting the shoot on hold "in order to preserve the health and safety of our cast and crew and join the world in an attempt to flatten the curve".

"This show is my life and this cast and crew is my family. Nothing is more important than making sure they and everyone around them is safe. I hope you'll join us in that effort," she said.

Moss, 37, said they will resume production "as soon as it's safe to do so".

"In the meantime stay safe and healthy and take care of yourselves. So much love from our family to yours," the actor added.

"The Handmaid's Tale", produced by MGM Television, joins the list of projects backed by the studio such as "Fargo" and pilots "thirtysomething(else)", "Circe", and season 41 of reality series "Survivor" which were recently postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.