Worldwide disease epidemics are increasing, with authorities predicting outbreaks of diseases once thought nearly eradicated. Pestilence of major proportions is foretold as a sign of the last days, depicted by the pale horse of the Four Horsemen, ridden by Death, with Hades following. They hold the power to kill a quarter of the earth's population through war, famine, plague, and beasts. War often leads to famine, which breeds disease through malnutrition and starvation, erupting into epidemics under dire conditions. Bites from animals and insects spread certain diseases, while sickness and weakness make people vulnerable to attacks by wild beasts. Signs of both old and new diseases on the verge of pandemic are evident. Deteriorating refugee conditions, fast-growing populations, high-risk behaviors, and scarce pure drinking water are cited as factors presaging global epidemics. A new strain of cholera, Bengal cholera, has infected hundreds of thousands from India to Thailand, causing thousands of deaths. Classic cholera affects many in the former Soviet Union due to internal conflicts and failing sewage systems. The El Tor variety of cholera spread rapidly in South America, killing thousands. New forms of diphtheria have emerged in Russia, and cases of bubonic plague, once known as the Black Death, have been reported in Kazakhstan and even non-fatally in the U.S. Tuberculosis, previously thought eradicated, is resurging in Russia, Europe, and the U.S. New diseases like hantavirus, first seen among Navajo Indians in New Mexico, are baffling researchers, with presence in rodents across multiple regions. The World Health Organization warns of potential global outbreaks of rodent-borne diseases like bubonic plague and hantavirus, yet struggles with response strategies. AIDS continues to spread, with predictions of higher case numbers in Asia than in Africa over the next decade. In sub-Saharan Africa, a significant percentage of pregnant women test HIV-positive, and millions of children are expected to be orphaned by AIDS-related deaths, with many potentially infected themselves. Even in the U.S., considered to have advanced healthcare, vulnerability to major viral outbreaks remains high. Experts warn of the likelihood of an influenza-like disease causing widespread damage before defenses can respond, reminiscent of the 1918-1919 pandemic that killed millions worldwide.

The threat of disease epidemics looms large in 2014, with media headlines highlighting a surge in deadly viruses and infections such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), H7N9 avian flu, HIV/AIDS, polio, viral hepatitis, measles, meningitis, cholera, and chikungunya. Reports indicate alarming developments, including MERS mutating into an airborne pathogen, bubonic plague outbreaks leading to city-wide quarantines in China, and chikungunya spreading across 35 U.S. states. Drug-resistant infections have reportedly exploded by 500% in U.S. hospitals, underscoring the growing danger. Ebola, in particular, has captured global attention, with over 670 deaths in West Africa alone. The World Health Organization has declared this the worst outbreak on record, stating that Ebola is moving faster than control efforts. Western governments are issuing alerts to doctors to watch for symptoms, while provisions in the United States include mandatory quarantines even for healthy individuals in the event of a pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has legal authority under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, utilizing isolation for the ill and quarantine for those potentially exposed. Such stringent measures have raised concerns about potential abuses of power and the imposition of martial law. Legislation like the Model State Emergency Health Powers Act, adopted by many states, grants public health authorities and governors expanded police powers to force medical examinations, vaccinations, and quarantines, as well as control over personal property and health information during a declared emergency. Recent executive orders have further broadened the scope to include detention for any signs of respiratory illness. Humanity appears largely defenseless against these pandemics, with health authorities admitting that vaccines, antibiotics, and drugs are ineffective against new strains. The media warns that a single event—be it a laboratory error, bioweapon release, or viral mutation—could trigger global devastation, especially as populations continue to crowd into high-density urban areas.

The SARS virus, often highlighted in mainstream media, appears to be a reclassification of flu and/or pneumonia based on overlooked statistics. In Hong Kong, annual hospitalized pneumonia cases typically range between 15,000 and 25,000, with over 3,000 deaths yearly from serious pneumonia, showing symptoms akin to SARS such as high fever, coughing, and lung inflammation. Vivian Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, noted that deaths from Atypical Pneumonias from January to April 2003 were less than 5% higher than the previous year, suggesting no true epidemic exists. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 300,000 global flu deaths last year, with over 63,000 influenza and pneumonia deaths in the U.S. alone. In Beijing, over 400 died in one month during the last flu season without panic, yet fewer than 200 deaths from severe flu in four months this year triggered widespread alarm. WHO indicated a SARS mortality rate of 4% to 6% in Singapore on May 6, 2003, compared to a 7.6% average mortality rate for influenza/pneumonia in the U.S. The intense media focus on SARS has led to significant consequences, including crippled economies due to trade and tourism restrictions, with Toronto losing $190 million and Asian currencies being undervalued. Additionally, the SARS scare has enabled governments to increase control, with President Bush authorizing detention of passengers showing flu-like symptoms at airports, and the United Nations enhancing WHO's authority to intervene in international health threats, using alerts and travel advisories to exert economic pressure. Lastly, SARS has diverted global attention from other issues, becoming a major focus in March 2003 despite being classified in November 2002 and involving relatively few fatalities.