VOA慢速英语2014 对抗埃博拉取得的进展

Progress Made in Fight Against Ebola 对抗埃博拉取得的进展

International health officials say the number of new Ebola cases in West Africa is falling. But the experts warn this news must not slow the fight against Ebola. The United Nations is still calling for more international help to fight the deadly virus.

In late October, officials in West Africa began reporting some good news in the battle against Ebola. The number of new cases is dropping.

In Liberia's capital, Anthony Banbury is the UN official responsible for emergency Ebola response efforts. He confirmed there have been improvements¹ in the fight against the deadly disease². Fewer people are getting infected and fewer are dying³ from it. 

But he warns, the fight against Ebola is far from over.

"We need NGOs and others to come in and run these facilities.  We are putting in place the logistics capabilities⁴. We are building the care centers. We are getting the equipment, everything we need to go in them. The patients are there in far too great numbers. What we don't have are the partners to run the facilities and we need them now."

In the United States, health officials have expressed hope that a new vaccine⁵ may protect against Ebola. The disease has already killed about 5,000 people and infected close to 14,000 others. 

Lausanne's University Hospital in Switzerland began testing the vaccine on Tuesday in healthy volunteers. A doctor who only gave her name as “Tina” agreed to take part in the study. She says a safe vaccine that works⁶ is needed to prevent the spread of Ebola.   

"I think the sooner we have a vaccine that works, that is safe, then the sooner we can use that vaccine to vaccinate⁷ the people in West Africa and wherever else the Ebola could spread."

Experts say there is no danger of getting Ebola from the vaccine. Vincent Mooser is with Lausanne’s University Hospital.

"What we measure is anti-bodies to the protein which is produced by the vaccine, and we also do some specific and detailed⁸ analysis on the white blood cells in the blood to ask the question whether the cells exposed to vaccine have a different biology than those who have not been exposed to the vaccine." 

If the vaccine proves effective, researchers will organize tests with larger groups.

French researchers are developing an Ebola test that would give results in 15 minutes. The current test used to test for Ebola takes 24 hours. Faster tests also are being developed in Japan and the United States.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama also asked the U.S. Congress⁹ to provide $4.5 billion for an immediate¹⁰ response to the deadly disease. He also asked for $1.5 billion in emergency back-up money.

Words in this Story

health - n. the general condition of the body or mind

healthy adj., not sick or injured

cases - n. incidents of disease

fight - n. use of violence or force; attempt to destroy or defeat an enemy

vaccine - n. a substance containing killed or weakened organisms given to a person or animal to produce protection against a disease

1 improvements   

增加或修改( improvement的名词复数 )； 改进； 改善； 改良

参考例句：

• improvements in efficiency at the factory 工厂效率的提高
• They've spent a lot of money on home improvements. 他们花了很多钱装修家居。

2 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

3 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

4 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

6 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

7 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。

8 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

9 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。