GN Commentary: August 5, 2009 - Pneumonic Plague and Marmots

Disease epidemics are worrysome to contemplate. Jesus Christ predicted 2000 years ago that our time just prior to His return to earth would include wars, rumors of wars, famines and deadly diseases.

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Video Transcript

First we had the HIV virus, and then the West Nile virus with its deadly mosquitoes.  Six years ago the great Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS scare filled the daily news. Then came the bird flu virus, regular flu and recently the H1N1 swine flu scare.

But another potential, pandemic pestilence hit the news in the past week.  It's called the Pneumonic Plague and its source is northwest China.

History tells us that between the years 1347 and 1352 the bubonic plague known as the Black Death killed 25 to 30 million Europeans—roughly one-third of the population.The bubonic plague also started in China and then spread its devastation to Europe.

The pneumonic plague is caused by the same bacteria as the bubonic plague. But the bubonic variety is spread by fleas that live on rats or other rodents—and is now fairly successfully treated with antibiotics. 

Frighteningly, the pneumonic plague is airborne and spread by simply coughing – making it much more contagious. It's one of today's deadliest infectious diseases and according to the World Health Organization humans can die within 24 hours of infection. 

Sobering.  But there is also a rodent connection to the pneumonic plague.  In 2004 a number of residents of Qinghai province of China died of plague because of killing and eating marmots. Marmots are large rodents similar to prairie dogs, gophers or the very common woodchuck or groundhog of the American east.

Pneumonic plague is not new, but due to its rapid spreadability it is considered a potential bioterrorist threat.

Disease epidemics are worrysome to contemplate. Jesus Christ predicted 2000 years ago that our time just prior to His return to earth would include wars, rumors of wars, famines and deadly diseases.

What can you do to avoid this or any plague?  First, learn more about what Jesus said for our age. Practice quarantine and take preventative measures like covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands often. And don't eat marmots—or any rodent. In the Bible God clearly tells which animals are good for human food and which are not.  That's knowledge that you can put to work today.

For GN magazine, I'm Randy Stiver.