美国有线新闻 CNN 美国爆发东部马脑炎疫情（在线收听）

美国爆发东部马脑炎疫情

In an average year between five and 10 people in America get sick with a virus called Eastern Equine Encephalitis. It's a disease carried by mosquitoes. This year there've already been 32 cases, mostly in the northeastern U.S. And it’s particularly alarming since the virus kills about 30 percent of those who get infected. Scientists say most outbreaks of EEE take place from the late spring through early fall. But they don't know why this outbreak is worse than previous ones. EEE is carried in birds. Mosquitoes bite them and also bite humans can spread it. Experts say there's a large population of birds in Massachusetts that have no immunity to the virus. So that could be a starting point.

The virus itself might have mutated to spread more easily. Also there was a lot of humidity and heat in the northeast this summer. Mosquitoes thrive in those conditions. And scientists say a hard frost will kill off the insects when it hits. Until that happens, they recommend using insect repellents, wearing long pants and long sleeves and staying indoors from dusk to dawn when mosquito activity is highest. In fact, the University of Connecticut had a football game scheduled for 7pm on Saturday. They moved it up to noon over concerns about EEE. Rhode Island is another state being effected.