TriCities.com (excerpts):  Bristol, TN - A potential Escherichia coli outbreak that's plagued Northeast Tennessee since mid-May has sickened two more people - bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the eight-county Northeast Tennessee region so far this year to 15.  On Friday, the Northeast Regional Health Office announced that it confirmed the presence of the potentially fatal bacteria in two people who started showing symptoms of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection on June 7 and June 9.  One is from Sullivan County, said Health Office Director David Kirshke.  "We are working on all of these cases," Kirshke said, adding that his office is trying to find out whether these two new cases are in any way related to a series of 11 other E. coli cases that hit the region between May 15 and June 2, "but so far we have not found a common link between them."   These bacterial strains, which are known as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli or STEC, can cause people to suffer from severe cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting and a low grade fever for a period of five to seven days.  These symptoms usually show up within three to four days.  In some cases, a STEC can also lead to a serious medical condition known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause permanent kidney damage and death if it goes untreated.  This condition is especially found among elderly E. coli victims and those who are very young.  On June 5, a two year old girl and her five year old brother from Dryden, VA, were rushed to the Johnson City Medical Center's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit after they developed an E. coli infection.  The girl died at the hospital that day, while her brother was sent to another hospital for further treatment and later released.  Kirshke said that his staff is diligently working with the Virginia Department of Health to figure out if there is any connection between these two children and the 13 Northeast Tennessee residents with confirmed cases.  Even though no common links have been found, the health officer said he is treating the situation like an outbreak because the dates these symptoms started showing up are in such a small period of time.  

My Comments:  Matthew 24:7 "Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places."  If you haven't noticed, there are a number of other recent E. coli cases reported in other areas of the nation.  The E. coli outbreak in Germany recently happened on a much greater scale.  The Bible tells us that these things will come to pass in the last days and, according to the scriptures, they will increase in intensity.  God is trying to wake up the people of this world, to recognize their God and pray.  I Thessalonians 5:3 "When they will say, 'peace and safety,' then sudden destruction will come on them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they will not escape."  God's people will escape, but the wicked and Godless in this world will not.  Have you received Jesus as your Savior?  If not, I invite you to visit the How Can I Be Saved page of this website.