Growing threat of urban disease outbreaks.

The UN predicts that by the year 2050, the number of people living in cities will double.  However, a recent study warns of an increasing risk for disease outbreaks in cities, “Cities become incubators where all the conditions are met for outbreaks to occur.”

Because of overcrowding, lack of clean water, poor waste disposal and poor family dwelling construction, many in these cities will be ripe for contracting all types of infectious diseases.  If an infectious disease takes hold in such a situation, it can spread very rapidly and will be next-to-impossible to stop.  One important recommendation in the paper is that, as urban areas are built, they need to be designed so as to reduce risks for disease outbreaks (www.SciDev.net, February 2, 2011; The Lancet: Infectious Diseases, February 2, 2011).

Jesus prophesied that “pestilences” or disease outbreaks would be one of the signs of the end of the age (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11).  This will be due, in part, to ignoring biblical health principles that deal with proper disposal of wastes and warn about crowding dwellings too closely (Deuteronomy 23:13; Isaiah 5:8).

God promised that if we would obey His statutes, people would be healthy and be able to avoid disease (Exodus 15:26).  Thankfully, Jesus Christ will return to this earth and the laws of God will be implemented around the world (Isaiah 2:2-4)—resulting in unprecedented health and freedom from disease.