英闻天下——477 Risk of H7N9 Epidemic Low Given Current Evidence

 　　Two new cases of H7N9 Avian Influenza¹ were reported in Zhejiang yesterday.

 

　　One of those infected has reportedly already died.

 

　　Meanwhile, hospital sources in Jiangsu are reporting the five patients confirmed to be infected in that province are not showing any signs of recovery.

 

　　All are in a critical condition.

 

　　It's also being reported only one of the patients has had close contact with poultry².

 

　　Two men have already died of the virus in Shanghai.

 

　　Authorities from the World Health Organization say it is still unclear how the others have become infected, as there are no signs the virus can easily spread among people.

 

　　Chinese medical expert Zhong Nanshan says H7N9 is unlikely to become an epidemic³ like SARS was 10-years ago.

 

　　"The key is there have been no signs showing H7N9 is highly contagious⁴ among humans. I don't think it's fair to characterize this strain of Avian Flu to SARS. The SARS virus quickly spread from people to people in the first two cases. But the H7N9 cases are separate. The patients are from different areas, so its capacity for human-infection is not high."

 

　　Currently there are no vaccines⁵ for the H7N9 bird flu virus, but labs are working with the WHO testing current vaccines for influenza to see how effective they are against the new virus.

 

　　Meantime, health authorities are studying the possibility of mutation⁶ of the new H7N9 strain, which could increase potential threats for contraction⁷ of the virus.

 

　　Scientists say the flu may evolve and infect other mammals, such as pigs, which may heighten its ability to spread between humans.

 

　　At the same time, disease control authorities here in China are asking doctors to streamline⁸ reporting policies on new pneumonic⁹ cases.

 

　　Feng Zijian is a director with Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

　　"The new monitoring plans ask doctors report any unspecified pneumonic immediately without consulting and studying the cases with experts from different levels."

 

　　Hospitals here in Beijing have been ordered to include H7N9 bird flu testing in their routine monitoring.

 

　　The Municipal Health department in Nanjing has sent out staff to disinfect poultry stalls in markets.

 

　　With today being the Tomb-Sweeping Day, the Chinese public have also been advised not to slaughter¹⁰ poultry for ancestral worship.

 

　　The Tomb-Sweeping Day is an occasion to commemorate¹¹ the dead, when traditionally some southern Chinese regions sacrifice poultry for ancestral worship.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Shen Chengcheng.

1 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。

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 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 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。

5 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

6 mutation   

n.变化，变异，转变

参考例句：

• People who have this mutation need less sleep than others.有这种突变的人需要的睡眠比其他人少。
• So far the discussion has centered entirely around mutation in the strict sense.到目前为止，严格来讲，讨论完全集中于围绕突变问题上。

7 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

8 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

9 pneumonic   

adj.肺的；肺炎的

参考例句：

• The chill superinduced a pneumonic condition. 受寒并发了肺炎。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The fatality rate of pneumonic plague a staggering 95 percent. 肺鼠疫的死亡率是达到惊人95％。 来自互联网

10 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

11 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。