新奇事件簿 新型冠状病毒可能人传人

The World Health Organisation¹ (WHO) has warned that a new coronavirus strain could be passed from human to human. The virus, called nCoV-EMC, looks like an offshoot of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome² (SARS), which killed 775 people and infected 8,273 between 2002-03. However, the WHO was quick to point out that the new strain isn't as virulent³ as SARS. The warning came after the 34th case worldwide came to light on Sunday. A man is in a "very serious but stable" condition in an intensive care unit in France. It is believed he contracted the virus while vacationing in Dubai in April. The new coronavirus has already claimed the lives of 18 people, 15 of the fatalities⁴ being in Saudi Arabia.

世卫组织警告称，一种新型冠状病毒可能会在人与人之间传播。这种病毒名叫“nCoV-EMC”，它非常像SARS的衍生物，在2002-2003年，SARS病毒导致775人死亡，8273人感染。然而，世卫组织马上指出，这种新型病毒的致病性并不像SARS那样高。就在世卫组织发出警告之前，全球于周日确诊了第34例感染病例。该男子现位于法国的一家重症监护室，虽然情况危急，但仍然稳定。人们认为他是在今年4月在迪拜度假时感染该病毒的。这种新型冠状病毒已经致18人死亡，其中有15人来自沙特。

Coronavirus causes respiratory illnesses in both humans and animals. Unlike SARS, which spread from birds and animals to humans, the new strain could have mutated to spread between people. A WHO spokesman, Keiji Fukuda, told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday that the new virus posed an "important and major challenge" for those countries already affected⁵ and for the whole world. He stressed that while the new virus was not SARS, it was very worrying. He said: "Of most concern is the fact that the different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact, this coronavirus can transmit from person to person".

冠状病毒能够同时在人类和动物体内产生呼吸性疾病。不像SARS，SARS是通过飞禽和动物传播给人类的，而这种新型冠状病毒或将发生变异，并发生人传人现象。周日，世卫组织发言人福田敬二在沙特首都利雅得对记者称，不仅仅是对那些遭受侵扰的国家，这种新型病毒对全球构成了挑战。他强调称，这种病毒并不是SARS，这让人们非常担忧。他称：“现在最让人们担忧的是，目前在许多国家出现的传染情况更加让人们相信，人与人之间的亲密接触会导致传播。”

1 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

2 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

3 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。

4 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》

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。