VOA标准英语 New Zealand Confirms 3 Swine Flu Cases

New Zealand has confirmed three people have tested positive for swine flu - the first in the Asia-Pacific region¹. Eight more patients are awaiting² test results and officials expect they too have contracted the virus, which is thought to have killed at least 150 people in Mexico.
　
Students wear masks after showing flu like symptoms on their arrival from the United States at Auckland International Airport, Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, 28 April 2009

The three New Zealanders who have contracted the H1N1 influenza³ virus were among a group of 25 students and teachers from an Auckland high school who returned from Mexico on Saturday.

The swine flu infections were confirmed after samples were sent to a World Health Organization laboratory⁴ in the Australian city of Melbourne.

Health officials in Auckland say it is likely that eight others in the group also will be confirmed as suffering from swine flu.

Victims responding to treatment

The 11 patients were understood to be showing only mild symptoms and had been responding to treatment with the anti-flu medication Tamiflu.

More than 50 other people in New Zealand are being monitored for suspected swine flu.

New Zealand has raised the alert⁵ level of its national pandemic plan and is screening all flights arriving from North America.

Emergency response plans activated⁶

The clinical director for Auckland Regional Public Health, Dr. Julia Peters, says well rehearsed emergency response plans have been activated.

"We have responded to this extremely quickly," Dr. Peters said. "We have put all our available resources into it and more and from the time we got the first phone call, we have taken it extremely seriously. Over the last few years throughout New Zealand, the ministry⁷ has led a number of national exercises where we have tested our plans and our processes, but I think the preparation that we have done has put us in a much stronger position to deal with the situation we are in at the moment."

Australian officials are monitoring about 20 suspected swine flu cases spread throughout the eastern states of New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.

In Mexico, where this outbreak of swine flu first appeared, it is believed to have infected more than 1,600 people. Cases have since been found in the United States, Canada, Israel and Europe.

1 region   

n.地区，地带，区域；范围，幅度

参考例句：

• The students went to study the geology of that region.学生们去研究那个地区的地质情况。
• It is unusual to see snow in this region.这个地区难得见到雪。

2 awaiting   

v.等候( await的现在分词 )；等待；期待；将发生在

参考例句：

• He is in custody awaiting trial . 他已被拘留候审。
• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence. 等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

4 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

5 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

6 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

7 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。