Ebola Outbreak in Southern Sudan Over WHO Says

 

By Lisa Schlein

The World Health Organization says an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in southern Sudan is over. WHO says the disease, which was first reported in Yambio County in Sudan's Equatorial province in May, infected 17 people, of whom seven died.
The World Health Organization says Saturday marks 42 days since the last person identified as infected with Ebola died in the region. As the agency explains, the incubation period for the disease is 21 days and the outbreak is considered over when no new cases have been reported for twice that period of time.
WHO spokeswoman Maria Cheng says the agency and its partners were able to detect this outbreak very quickly because southern Sudan has an effective early warning network in place. Also, the particular strain of this virus was less virulent¹ than in the past.
She also says the number of cases and deaths is relatively² low because of the speed with which the virus was identified. This allowed health workers to respond quickly.
"We try to identify cases as quickly as we can and determine if they need to be isolated³, and then there is a lot of contact tracing to see who the people might have been in contact with and patients are basically given treatment to alleviate⁴ their symptoms," she noted⁵.
Ebola is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. The virus is spread through bodily fluids, including blood. There is no known cure, it is highly contagious⁶ and it kills between 50 percent and 90 percent of its victims.
Ebola first emerged in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire. It re-emerged in 1995. Since 2000, Ms. Cheng says, there have been six outbreaks, including this latest one.
"We are seeing it with increasing regularity," she added. "I think what we've learned from this experience and from the last five years is the importance of detecting it rapidly and mobilizing international and local responses as quickly as we can."
The WHO spokeswoman says scientists still have not identified the root cause of the disease, but they believe it may be transmitted through contact with infected animals.
"So part of what the team did this time in Yambio was to speak with the local population, particularly with hunters, to warn them of the dangers of finding diseased or dead animals in the forest, to not touch these animals and certainly not to eat them," she said.
Ms. Cheng says the team was successful in containing the disease because it had a lot of cooperation and involvement from the local community.
Lisa Schlein, for VOA News, Geneva.
注释：
Ebola virus 埃博拉病毒
Equatorial  赤道的
incubation 潜伏
virulent 致死的
alleviate 减轻
symptom 症状
victim 受害人
Congo  刚果
Zaire 扎伊尔
outbreak 突发

1 virulent   

adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的

参考例句：

• She is very virulent about her former employer.她对她过去的老板恨之入骨。
• I stood up for her despite the virulent criticism.尽管她遭到恶毒的批评，我还是维护她。

2 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。

3 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

4 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。