VOA慢速英语2009-Health Report - WHO Close to Declaring Flu P

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

As of Tuesday, seventy-three countries had reported more than twenty-six thousand cases of the new H1N1 flu virus. A World Health Organization official, Keiji Fukuda, said these confirmed cases included two hundred forty-nine deaths.
　
Keiji Fukuda speaks at a meeting on the H1N1 influenza¹ virus in Geneva, Switzerland in May

Doctor Fukuda, the agency's top flu expert, says the virus continues to spread in North America. And there are increasing reports from South America as well as from other southern countries.

Australia has had more than one thousand cases, the largest number outside North America. The state of Victoria has been most affected².

But the United States has had by far the most confirmed cases. More than thirteen thousand were reported as of Monday, including twenty-seven deaths.

The H1N1 outbreak began in Mexico in March. Mexico has reported more than one hundred deaths. An unusual number of flu cases have been found in young people who were otherwise healthy.

The W.H.O. has an influenza warning system in which phase six means that a pandemic is taking place. In recent days the United Nations agency has moved closer and closer to such a declaration³.

As of Tuesday officials had not yet announced a change from phase five. But Doctor Fukuda said the public should understand what a pandemic means.

KEIJI FUKUDA: "By going to phase six, what this would mean is that the spread of the virus is continued and that activity has become established in at least two regions of the world. It does not mean that the severity of the situation has increased or that people are getting seriously sick at higher numbers or higher rates than they are right now."

Doctor Fukuda, an acting⁴ assistant director-general, said the W.H.O. has been working with the member states to prepare for a pandemic. Scientists are working on vaccines⁵ to protect against the new virus. Governments have been gathering⁶ supplies of anti-viral drugs.

But public health officials have also had to consider the risks if the public overreacts to a pandemic declaration. Doctor Fukuda pointed⁷ out that hospitals might quickly fill with people who are worried but not especially sick. Then hospitals might not be able to care for other patients who really do need help.

The last flu pandemic was in nineteen sixty-eight, caused by the so-called Hong Kong flu. Scientists say the common name for the new disease, swine flu, is misleading. The virus combines human, bird and pig viruses. But, as Doctor Fukuda pointed out, eating meat from pigs has not been a danger.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver⁸. For more health news, go to voaspecialenglish.com.

1 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 declaration   

n.宣布，宣告，宣言，声明（书），申报

参考例句：

• We read the declaration posted on the bulletin board.我们读了贴在布告板上的声明。
• At the recent convention a declaration was adopted.在最近举行的大会上通过了一项宣言。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

8 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。