国外媒体:H1N1流感在日本急速蔓延

甲型H1N1流感在日本关西地区以超出人们想像的速度蔓延。大阪府和兵库县两地一时间草木皆兵。从上周的4例剧增至200多例。日本首相麻生太郎通过电视呼吁民众冷静对待不断加剧的H1N1疫情的爆发，要避免引起恐慌。

Prime Minister Taro¹ Aso urged calm in television ads, calling on the public to avoid panic amid rising concerns of an h1n1 flu outbreak.

The government took to the airwaves after more than 200 new cases were confirmed in just 4 days.

The cases have all been confined to Japan's western prefectures Osaka and Hyogo. The Health Ministry² says most patients are middle and high school students, but they don't know how the virus spread. Earlier this week local leaders shut down all public schools and more than 6 dozen universities. But on Wednesday Osaka governor, Toru Hashimoto, announced those schools would reopen next week.

He said it was important to move forward with classes, after a week long halt.

The government is trying to quell³ fears while proceeding⁴ with caution. It is worried about the virus's economic impact, with schools cancelling field trips and with reports that companies like Shiseido and Mitsubishi ordered employees to limit business trips.

Public "Fever consultation⁵" centers and local hospitals say they're overwhelmed with concerned patients. That prompted Hyogo Governor Toshizo Ido to appeal for central government help.

Those concerns are quickly spreading beyond western Japan. Outside a crowded train station in Tokyo, Junko Sato hid behind 2 masks.

"It's a matter of time before it gets to Tokyo. To protect myself I wash my hands every opportunity I get. I gargle with mouthwash. I'm especially worried about my 5 year old nephew who lives with me," said Sato.

Life is returning to normal in at least one area. The Ministry of Health, Labor⁶, and Welfare plans to scale back inspections⁷ on flights at the country's airports. The changes could come at the end of the week. A top official says the first 4 cases of the virus may have been found at Narita Airport, but he says the main goal now is to stop the spread of the virus.

1 taro   

n.芋，芋头

参考例句：

• Main grain crop has taro,corn,banana to wait.主要粮食作物有芋头、玉米、芭蕉等。
• You celebrate your birthday with taro,red bean and butter.用红豆、芋头和黄油给自己过生日。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

4 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

5 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》