美国有线新闻 CNN 美国新冠病例稳步下降 未来却令人担忧

For more than a year and a half, the news has been dominated by events related to COVID-19.

一年半以来，与COVID-19相关的事件一直是新闻的主要内容。

Since early 2020, the United States has seen the most positive tests overall.

自2020年初以来，美国的检测结果总体呈阳性的情况最多。

It's reported more than 45 million since the pandemic hit.

据报道，自疫情爆发以来，死亡人数超过4500万。

Daily case numbers have fluctuated wildly.

每天的病例数量波动很大。

Last year they rose and then plateaued in the spring, rose and then plateaued in the summer.

去年，病例的数量上升，然后在春天趋于平缓，在夏天又上升，然后趋于平缓。

But during the winter months of late 2020 and early 2021, American health officials reported their highest numbers of new cases,

但在2020年底和2021年初的冬季，美国卫生官员报告了最高数量的新病例，

a daily average of more than 250,000 in early January according to the New York Times.

据《纽约时报》报道，1月初，平均每天有超过25万多的病例。

The numbers dropped significantly in the weeks and months after that.

在那之后的几周和几个月里，这一数字显著下降。

And despite a slight rise in mid-April, new positive tests reached a low point by mid-June.

尽管4月中旬出现了小幅上升，但新的阳性检测结果在6月中旬达到了低点。

But then a new variant¹, a new strain of the disease arrived in America.

但后来一种新的变种病毒，一种新的疾病菌株进入美国。

It's called Delta² and health officials say it was largely responsible for the next spike³ in COVID cases, which peaked at an average of more than 175,000 per day in mid-September.

这种病毒被称为德尔塔，卫生官员表示，该病毒是下一轮COVID病例激增的主要原因，9月中旬，平均每天超过17.5万例。

That's why the steady decrease the America's seen since then is both hopeful and concerning.

这就是为什么美国自那时以来所看到的稳步下降既充满希望，又令人担忧。

Hopeful because of the number of new cases is headed in the right direction, down.

这是充满希望的，是因为新病例的数量正在朝着好的方向下降。

Concerning, because the nation's been here before and a new COVID strain that causes another spike in cases is still possible.

然而令人担忧的是，因为国家以前也经历过这种情况，一种导致病例再次激增的新冠病毒菌株仍有可能出现。

Again though, all this is only for the U.S.

不过，所有这一切都只发生在美国。

On the other side of the Northern Hemisphere, Russia has seen a sharp climb in cases since last month.

在北半球的另一边，俄罗斯的病例自上个月以来急剧攀升。

It's currently averaging more than 32,000 positive tests per day.

目前平均每天有超过32000例检测为阳性。

In an effort to keep the virus from spreading, the Russian capital of Moscow plans to lockdown from October 28th to November 7th.

为了防止病毒传播，俄罗斯首都莫斯科计划从10月28日到11月7日实行封锁。

Moscow's mayor says historic numbers of cases are expected there in the coming days.

莫斯科市长表示，预计未来几天病例数量将打破历史纪录。

Overall, the numbers have charted a bumpy⁴ graph worldwide with cases rising and falling, as different nations have reported different impacts at different times.

总体而言，由于不同的国家在不同的时期报告了不同的影响，全球范围内的病例数量可以绘制成一幅起伏不定的曲线图。

1 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

2 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

3 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

4 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。