2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Reports Outbreak of Bird Flu

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
17 March 2006

Israel has reported its first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. Health officials are taking a series of measures to prevent the virus from spreading.

Dead turkey is seen at farm in village of Ein Hashlosha, southern Israel  
  
The Israeli Agriculture Ministry¹ says the avian flu virus killed 11,000 turkeys at two kibbutz collective farms in southern Israel. The deadly virus is also suspected in the deaths of 5,000 chickens at a kibbutz in the center of the country.  A six-kilometer quarantine zone has been imposed around the infected areas. The Health Ministry has ordered tens of thousands of birds to be destroyed over the next few days to contain the outbreak.

Three people have been hospitalized on suspicion of contracting bird flu. Health Ministry Director-General Avi Yisraeli sought to calm the public. "The virus affects birds, and it is unlikely that humans will be infected," Yisraeli told Israel Radio. He added that only people who come into direct contact with infected poultry² were at risk.

At the same time, he said the Health Ministry is not taking any chances. "We have sent protective clothing and medicines to poultry farmers in the infected areas," Yisraeli said. In addition, four million units of bird flu vaccine³ have been ordered from Holland.

Avian flu, which first surfaced in Asia, has spread with alarming speed in recent weeks across Europe and Africa. International health officials have warned that the more it spreads, the greater the danger that the virus could mutate and cause a pandemic, in which millions of people could die.

The virus was detected in neighboring Egypt last month, and the disease may have entered Israel from there.

It is the first outbreak of bird flu in Israel, and officials fear it will spread to Palestinian areas, where health standards are lower. In a rare act of cooperation, Israel is testing poultry in the West Bank and Gaza on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. Containing the virus is a mutual⁴ interest.

1 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。

2 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

3 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。

4 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。