VOA标准英语 Mexican Officials Struggle to Contain Swine Flu Epid

The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert level from three to four, as health officials around the world take steps to prevent the spread of the swine flu that has caused at least 149 deaths in Mexico and illnesses in several other countries. Meantime, in Mexico, there are signs the virus that causes the illness is on the move and that government efforts to control it are not sufficient.

Majority of cases in central region
　
Policemen in Mexico City wear protective masks, 27 Apr 2009

Most of the early cases of swine flu detected in Mexico were in the central part of the country, but there are now cases being reported from one end of the country to the other. In large border cities like Juarez, where people live crammed¹ together in poor neighborhoods, the flu could take hold quickly. Health officials are cautioning people to take preventive measures and to seek medical attention if they have severe flu symptoms. At least two people with such symptoms are being treated in a Juarez hospital, but authorities have yet to determine if these are cases of swine flu.

The governor of the state of Chihuahua, Jose Reyes Baeza says there are no confirmed swine flu cases anywhere in the border state, so far.

He says his state is taking precautions and preparing for any cases that do develop, in coordination² with Mexican federal officials.

What measures have been taken?

Mexico has closed its schools, nationwide, until May 6 because of the epidemic³ and suspended large gatherings⁴, such as sporting events or concerts where the virus could spread from person to person and infect many people all at once.

But many Mexicans complain that health measures have been inadequate⁵. The widow of one of the first confirmed fatalities⁶ says she found out her husband had died of swine flu from news reports. She says no health officials contacted her and that she cannot afford the anti-viral medicine they recommend people exposed to the virus take. There have been other reports of people with severe symptoms being turned away from hospitals and there are armed guards in front of some hospitals and clinics to prevent the facilities from being overrun by panic-stricken people.

Disappointment in government response

Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos says the government does not have enough health workers to visit the families of every victim, but he says there is enough medicine available to treat flu victims. He says nearly 2,000 people have been hospitalized with respiratory illnesses since mid-April, but that more than half have been released. He says he does not know how many of those cases were confirmed as swine flu.

Cordova Villalobos says one of the first confirmed cases of the disease was in the state of Veracruz, where a four-year-old boy became ill after visiting an area where local people had been protesting pollution from a large pig farm. Authorities are now investigating whether pigs at that location or other farms in Mexico might have the disease. Veterinarians from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome are on their way to Mexico to help investigate.

Travel alert in effect

Some nations have issued warnings to their citizens to avoid unessential travel to Mexico, but the World Health Organization says closing borders or restricting travel would have little effect at this point. Instead, officials are urging people who are ill to avoid travel and asking those who do travel to take common sense measures such as frequent washing of hands and avoidance of people who show any symptoms of the flu.

1 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

2 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

3 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

4 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

5 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

6 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》