Blog note. Jesus indicated
that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the
time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year
period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have
occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be identified
as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these events. They
would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency, size, duration,
scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor the farther along
she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the times’ that comes
just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation period
… And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and
famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be
from heaven. (Luke 21:11).
… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and
in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea
and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)
… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after
those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be
shaken; (Luke 21:26)
… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. (2 Timothy 3:1)
Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for
as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several of many such
prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded
history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a
large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes,
hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in
unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records
everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This
list can go on. Most studied Eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and
massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this
Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are
familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like
a woman having labor pains, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.
Drug-resistant superbug spreading in Europe’s hospitals
By James GallagherHealth and science correspondent, BBC News 29 July 2019
Superbugs resistant to emergency antibiotics are spreading in hospitals, a Europe-wide study shows.
Drugs called carbapenems are used when an infection cannot be treated with anything else.
The spread of resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae was “extremely concerning”, researchers from the Sanger Institute said.
And they warned other bugs could become resistant too – because of the unique way bacteria have sex.
What is Klebsiella pneumoniae?
It can live completely naturally in the intestines without causing problems for healthy people.
However, when the body is unwell, it can infect the lungs to cause pneumonia, and the blood, cuts in the skin and the lining of the brain to cause meningitis.
Some strains are developing resistance to antibiotics.
“The alarming thing is these bacteria are resistant to one of the key last-line antibiotics,” Dr Sophia David, from the Sanger Institute, told BBC News.
“The infections are associated with a high mortality rate.
“It’s already worrying that we’re seeing 2,000 deaths in 2015 – but the concern is that if action isn’t taken, then this will continue to rise.”
Deaths from carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae have gone up from 341 in Europe in 2007 to 2,094 by 2015.
What does the study show?
This is the largest study of carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae, with 244 hospitals involved from Ireland to Israel.
Researchers analysed the bacterium’s DNA – its genetic code – from samples from infected patients.
“Our findings imply hospitals are the key facilitator of transmission [and suggest that] the bacteria are spreading from person-to-person primarily within hospitals,” said Dr David.
“The fact that we see the same high-risk clones in many different hospitals around Europe also shows there’s something special about those strains.”
The results were published in Nature Microbiology.
How big a problem is this?
Drug-resistant K. pneumoniae could continue to spread or pass its resistance on to other species of bacteria.
Two bacteria can meet up and have bacterial sex – called conjugation – and a short string of genetic information, called a plasmid, is shared between them.
And the study found the instructions that give K. pneumoniae carbapenem resistance written on to plasmids.
“These have the ability to spread very rapidly through bacterial populations,” said Dr David.
What can be done?
The best way to deal with drug-resistant infections is to avoid getting them in the first place.
“We are optimistic that with good hospital hygiene, which includes early identification and isolation of patients carrying these bacteria, we can not only delay the spread of these pathogens, but also successfully control them, said Prof Hajo Grundmann, from the University of Freiburg.
“This research emphasises the importance of infection control and ongoing genomic surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to ensure we detect new resistant strains early and act to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance.”