CNN.com (excerpts): New Delhi, India - At least 435 patients, mostly children, have died this year from encephalitis in one of India's most impoverished regions, health officials said.  Most of the deaths happened between August and September, according to K P Kushwaha, Chief Pediatrician at BRD Medical College and Nehru Hospital in Uttar Pradesh state's Gorakhpur district.  Some 30 - 35 people are being diagnosed daily with the infection in Gorakhpur, he said.  The outbreaks are common in the district, near India's border with Nepal.  Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain, primarily caused by food and drink contamination and mosquito bites.  The very young and the elderly are more likely to have a severe case, according to the US National Library of Medicine.  As many as 500 people died last year in the region from the disease, Kushwaha said.  In 2009, India reported 774 fatalities from encephalitis, including 556 in Uttar Pradesh, federal data shows.  

Commentary:  "Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places" Matthew 24:7.  There are great numbers of deadly pestilences on the rise in the world today, as the scriptures tell us will come in the last days.  It is noteworthy that over 80% of India's population are Hindus.  They worship many gods and idols made with hands.  We frequently see plagues such as this in countries where people refuse to worship the God of the Bible, the one and only true and living God.  The Bible says, "You will not be afraid for the terror by night or for the arrow that flies by day, or for the pestilence that walks in darkness, or for the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand will fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you" Psalm 91:5-7.  These are promises to God's people, that He will protect us.  God hears and answers the prayers of His people, but His ear is not inclined to those who do wickedly: "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and His ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those that do evil" 1 Peter 3:12.  "The rest of the men that were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the work of their hands, that they should not worship devils and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood, which cannot see, hear or walk" Revelation 9:20.  Do you desire to have God's divine favor and protection in your life?  Please accept Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your Savior and receive the gift of eternal life.  I would like to invite you to visit the "How Can I Be Saved" page of this website, if you want to be a child of the living God.