VOA标准英语2009-Nearly 4,000 People Die From H1N1 in US

By Vidushi Sinha
Washington
15 November 2009

 

 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that counting related illnesses the number of deaths from the H1N1 virus is about four times earlier estimates.

Federal health officials now say nearly 4,000 Americans have died from the H1N1 virus since it first emerged in April. Previous estimates put the number of fatalities¹ at around 1,000, but the death toll² has been recalculated to include deaths from flu-related complications, such as pneumonia³ and bacterial⁴ infections.

The CDC estimates that 22 million Americans have gotten the virus and close to 100,000 have been hospitalized.

Eight million children have been infected. 540 have died.

The CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat, calls these numbers alarming. "I have already seen a larger number of deaths than we have had for several years - I do believe that pediatric death toll from this pandemic will be extensive and much greater than what we see with seasonal⁵ flu," she says.
 
Last week, the World Health Organization announced that more than 6,000 people worldwide have died from H1N1 flu. The WHO says that, as of November 1, some 200 countries and territories have reported close to a half-million confirmed cases. WHO officials say the actual number is probably higher.

Dr. Schuchat says people in high risk categories such as those with diabetes⁶ have to be especially cautious. "When people with diabetes get flu, it can be more difficult for them to manage their blood sugar. They can suffer high and low blood sugar. So paying special attention with flu when you have diabetes is important," she says.

Many doctors say the H1N1 vaccine⁷ is the best protection against the virus. The problem is -- there is still a shortage. The only company making the vaccine in the U.S. is behind schedule, but supplies are expected to increase before the year's end. "As the supply increases we do think that access and convenience and ease to getting vaccinated⁸ will improve," she says.
 
That's little comfort for Margaret Savitts. Her husband Walter contracted a serious case of H1N1. "By Saturday night he couldn't breathe. He was having a really hard time. And by 2 am Monday morning, he was in full respiratory failure," she says.

The H1N1 virus is different from normal, seasonal flu, in that it persisted during the summer months and affects relatively⁹ healthy people.

1 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 pneumonia   

n.肺炎

参考例句：

• Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
• Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

4 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

5 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

6 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

7 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。

8 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

9 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。