2006年VOA标准英语-Polio Returns to Northern India, Worrying Other

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
19 September 2006 

		Indian health worker gives polio drops to a baby at a primary health center in Lankamura village, near the India-Bangladesh border, September 10, 2006

A resurgence¹ of the deadly polio virus in northern India is undermining global efforts to eradicate² the crippling disease. 

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Health officials say a sudden flare-up of polio in the populous³ north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is posing a danger to polio-free regions in and outside India.

India has reported more than 280 new cases of polio this year - four times more than all of last year.

Jay Wenger, the head of the National Polio Surveillance Project, managed jointly⁴ by the World Health Organization and the Indian government, says the virus is spreading to neighboring countries that had stamped out the disease.

"We know that the virus now in Nepal came from India, and the virus that they are having trouble with in Bangladesh right now also came from India," said Wenger. "Those two countries were actually polio-free for a number of years, [and] have actually had to go back and start all over again."

The setback⁵ comes at a time when health workers worldwide are waging the end game against the disease. Polio has been eliminated from most countries following a global eradication⁶ drive begun in 1988, but it survives in a handful of Asian and African countries.

India has been at the epicenter in the ambitious battle against polio because it accounted for the largest number of cases in the world.

The country made dramatic progress over the past decade, eliminating polio from most regions and reducing the number of cases to 66 last year.

But dismayed health officials now confront a huge setback as the disease resurfaces - mostly in Muslim-dominated areas in Uttar Pradesh. It is a sprawling⁷ state of 170 million people, with large pockets of great poverty.

Health officials say a key obstacle is a rumor⁸ that has swept parts of the Muslim community, saying the polio vaccine⁹ will make children sterile¹⁰ and is part of a conspiracy¹¹ to reduce the Muslim birth rate.

Some progress was achieved in recent years after authorities sought help from Muslim clerics to dispel¹² the rumor. But health officials say it appears that at least 10 percent of all children, mostly in Muslim-dominated areas, have missed vaccinations¹³ since late 2005.

Wenger says a combination of factors could have caused the resurgence in Uttar Pradesh.

"Probably there is some level of fatigue¹⁴ with the program," added Wenger. "It is possible some complacency set in. The general health care infrastructure¹⁵ is not so strong there, and finally there is some level of reluctance¹⁶ in some parts of the population to actually take the vaccine."

Polio usually strikes children under five, causing paralysis¹⁷ or even death. WHO has already missed two deadlines to eradicate the disease - the first in 2000 and the second in 2005.

1 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

2 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

3 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

4 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

5 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

6 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

7 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

8 rumor   

n.谣言，谣传，传说

参考例句：

• The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
• The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。

9 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。

10 sterile   

adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上，保持奶嘴无菌。
• The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。

11 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

12 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

13 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

15 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

16 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

17 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。