2006年VOA标准英语-EU, FAO Launch Project to Curb Bird Flu in Nige

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
23 September 2006

The European Union is providing nearly $700,000 to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to look for cases of avian influenza¹ in Nigeria.  The surveillance program aims to help eradicate² the disease from Africa's most populous³ country.

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		Two unidentified farm worker walk towards birds suspected of having bird flu virus inside the Sambawa farms where the Nigerian first bird flu case was noticed in Jaji

The six-month project involves a comprehensive study on the incidence, spread and impact of bird flu in Nigeria, as a means of eradicating⁴ the disease in the West African country.

More than 200 health workers will travel across the country to look for cases of avian influenza.

The H5N1 virus was first detected in chicken in the northern state of Kaduna in January, and it quickly spread to 13 of Nigeria's 36 states, as well as the capital city.

Nigerian officials say the disease has now been contained, but international experts say the true extent of the problem remains⁵ largely unknown.

United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization representative in Nigeria Helder Muteai says the active surveillance will help establish the extent of bird flu outbreak in Nigeria.

"We have about 14 states and [including] the capital territory, Abuja, with reported avian flu cases. But, nobody knows the extent of the disease in Nigeria. We know that about 40 local governments have been affected," he said.

Nigeria, the first African country to detect the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, has not detected any human cases of the disease. However, there are fears that the prolonged existence of the virus in Nigeria increases the risk of human infection, as Dr. Muteai explains.

"In Africa, we have to be very careful because of the close relationship between birds and humans, especially in the rural areas, animals sometimes even sleep within the same premises," he said.  "That is a very dangerous situation. That is why we have to take it seriously in Nigeria."

The H5N1 virus can infect people who come into close contact with sick birds. The World Health Organization says 247 people have contracted the virus since 2003, and at least 144 of them have died.

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 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 eradicating   

摧毁，完全根除( eradicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Objective: To study the acute and chronic toxicity of Ten-flavor-acne eradicating-capsule. 目的：探讨复方中药合剂十味平痤胶囊的急性及慢性毒性。
• We are on the verge of eradicating polio in the world. 我们已在世界消除小儿？痹症的边缘了。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。