[Darris McNeely] The news of the coronavirus in China continues to grow. More than a thousand people have been reported to have died from the virus. Tens of thousands of people it seems have contracted the virus. It is spreading beyond the borders of China. People in America have contracted it. In the U.K. mainly people who have been traveling through Asia. So, the reports that we have probably don't tell us the entire story. That's another aspect of this story of this particular virus, as it continues to build and grow creating concern, fear, altering people's travel plans, and creating embargoes in and out of China.

And so, the coronavirus is one of those situations where we continue to watch and we continue to wonder just what it is.

One of the problems is when such a virus erupts that is new there is no vaccine for it. There's no treatment for it, which creates burdens upon the healthcare system, but also panic. Because as you look at what is taking place here there are two ways that this could go. Number one, the coronavirus may be no more dangerous than the common cold in one sense in terms of its impact. Some people say that more people die from the normal forms of influenza each year which statistically is true.

And then one report I read said on the other hand the coronavirus could be like the Black Death. So, you've got two extremes there. And the reality is at this point in time nobody really knows where it could go. And certainly the hope is, and our hope, is that it is contained, that the spread stops, and that a vaccine can be found quickly to treat people who come down with it and through quarantine and all the other measures this particular virulent strain of virus that has come on can be stemmed. Certainly that's our prayer and certainly we know it should be yours as well.

But, again, it brings in the issue of a pandemic and the problems that are always lurking in an issue like this with a virus and a disease that can come out and spread in our global world today. It is reminiscent because we've discussed in earlier BT Dailys of the prophetic threats and problems of pandemic and of disease that Revelation 6 talks about with the ride of the fourth horseman of the apocalypse there in Revelation 6.

So, we watch and we wonder and we monitor all of these. As we've said before, take the proper precautions, all of us, at this particular time of the year as we watch and wonder exactly where this will go. Seeking to understand exactly the nature of it and the impact of it as we watch this in our world today. It is something to be aware of, to be watching, to be understanding from many different perspectives.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.