2007年VOA标准英语-India's AIDS Cases Less Than Half of Previous E

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
06 July 2007

New estimates by the Indian government and international agencies show that the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in India is between two and three million - far less than previously¹ estimated. However, as Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, Indian officials say the country is committed to an aggressive campaign to control the epidemic².

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An Indian woman hold a poster saying 'Do not neglect the treatment' as she takes part in an HIV awareness rally in Kolkata, 11 June 2007

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said Friday that the number of people afflicted⁴ with the AIDS virus in India is just half of previous estimates of 5.7 million.

"Many of you know that we have always been found fault with for underestimating the seriousness of the epidemic…. Today we have with us a far more reliable estimate of the burden of HIV disease in India…. We have been able to arrive at a robust⁵ figure that all our experts feel is as correct as we can get," he said. "The results show that there are an estimated two million to 3.1 million people infected with HIV/AIDS."

The estimate was cut after experts from India and international bodies such as the World Health Organization used a new way of collecting data based on general population surveys, which experts say is more accurate.

The new estimates means India does not have the world's largest number of infections as previously believed, but ranks third after South Africa and Nigeria.

That means the infection rate is about 0.36 percent in a population of more than one billion people, rather than 0.9 percent as earlier thought. Indian officials said that HIV rates in several southern Indian states, which had high infection rates, have also begun to stabilize⁶ or decline.

However, Health Minister Ramadoss says the AIDS numbers are still daunting⁷.

"Moreover, in terms of human lives affected⁸, the numbers are still large, in fact very large and very worrying for us," he said. "There is no doubt in my mind we cannot let down our vigil."

Indian officials say the lower estimates will not deflect⁹ the country's attention from an aggressive campaign to control the disease.

In fact, the lower estimates were announced simultaneously¹⁰ with the launch of a new $2.8 billion federal AIDS control program. Officials say the five-year program will focus on preventing the spread of the virus among the country's huge youth population. It will include AIDS education and condom promotion¹¹, and treatment and care of those suffering from the disease.

Volunteer agencies and U.N. officials also stressed that much work remains¹² to be done to halt the epidemic's spread in India.

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

4 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

5 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

6 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

7 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

8 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。

9 deflect   

v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向

参考例句：

• Never let a little problem deflect you.决不要因一点小问题就半途而废。
• They decided to deflect from the original plan.他们决定改变原计划。

10 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

11 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

12 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。