英闻天下——505 Measures to Tackle Bird Flu in China

 　　To try to prevent the spread of the deadly H7N9 Bird Flu virus here in China, authorities have been taking a series of steps, including blocking the trade of live poultry¹ and pigeons.

 

　　CRI's Li Dong has more.

 

　　Live poultry sales have been suspended, some markets closed and hospitals in Shanghai are busy checking every patient that arrives for symptoms of the H7N9 strain of bird flu, which has killed nine people in China.

 

　　Even pigeon training and racing² has been halted in China's largest city for fears that a new strain of bird flu may spread.

 

　　Authorities confirmed the latest two deaths and four infections on April 10, although there are no signs of human-to-human transmission.

 

　　Authorities believe people are contracting the virus through direct contact with infected fowl³.

 

　　The deaths have been reported in three eastern provinces of China and most of them in Shanghai, the country's economic powerhouse. Shares in the city's stock exchange have been falling since the first cases were reported last week.

 

　　At the city's Huhai market, where one of the first few cases were reported, doors and windows remained covered on Tuesday while fumigation⁴ was being conducted inside, according to vendors⁵ in the vicinity.

 

　　Authorities closed the market on April 4th taking all poultry for culling⁶. Ever since then, sales have contracted to a tenth of what they used to be for Yang Lianfeng, who sells pork in a stand next to the now closed poultry section of the market.

 

　　"Fear? How can we not fear it? It happens like this, so fast, of course we have fears. People doing business here cannot sell their produce."

 

　　Wang Puming, a regular customer at Huhai market, has taken the measure of buying a Chinese herbal medicine that many believe helps curb⁷ the symptoms of cold and flu, although experts have disputed its effectiveness.

 

　　"Right now, as it is the peak season for the flu, everybody pays more attention to this problem. The probability of getting sick is more acute. Everybody is worried. You see? Even Bailangen, a kid of Chinese herbal medicine is sold out in pharmacies⁸."

 

　　Near the headquarters of Shanghai municipal government, only a few pigeons remain freely wandering in the city's main park, after authorities decided⁹ to lock most of them in cages.

 

　　The Shanghai Pigeon Racing Association banned on April 5th all flying, training, racing and other outdoor activities of the birds warning that failure to comply with the regulation would lead to the removal of racing permits.

 

　　Huang Yongqiang, a retired¹⁰ seaman¹¹ who keeps around four dozens birds on the roof of his small house in the centre of the city, said that the suspension was a preventative measure. He stresses that no racing pigeons have been found infected so far.

 

　　"The pigeons in the market are found with H7N9 virus. They say 'in the market'. So the Shanghai Association for Pigeon Racing has decided to order its members to stop all pigeon activities, such as flying and competitions."

 

　　The Hangzhou Carrier Pigeon Association said on Monday that it will inoculate¹² up to 90,000 pigeons with a vaccine¹³ that protects against types of bird flu other than the new H7N9 strain, since no vaccine exists for it yet.

 

　　The H7N9 virus is believed to circulate in poultry stocks without sickening birds, making it harder for experts to identify and eliminate outbreaks in birds.

 

　　For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 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?

2 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

3 fowl   

n.家禽，鸡，禽肉

参考例句：

• Fowl is not part of a traditional brunch.禽肉不是传统的早午餐的一部分。
• Since my heart attack,I've eaten more fish and fowl and less red meat.自从我患了心脏病后，我就多吃鱼肉和禽肉，少吃红色肉类。

4 fumigation   

n.烟熏，熏蒸；忿恨

参考例句：

• We think that the fumigation can be done in a large, round metal container. 我们觉得熏蒸过程可以在一个大圆金属容器内进行。 来自辞典例句
• In the northern states fumigation is needed only after insect outbreaks occur. 在北部各州，只在虫害发生后才进行熏蒸。 来自辞典例句

5 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 culling   

n.选择，大批物品中剔出劣质货v.挑选，剔除( cull的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The mathematicians turned to culling periodic solutions. 数学家们转而去挑选周期解。 来自辞典例句
• It took us a week to find you, a week of culling out prejudice and hatred. 我们花了一个星期的时间找到你们，把偏见和憎恨剔除出去。 来自演讲部分

7 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

8 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 seaman   

n.海员，水手，水兵

参考例句：

• That young man is a experienced seaman.那个年轻人是一个经验丰富的水手。
• The Greek seaman went to the hospital five times.这位希腊海员到该医院去过五次。

12 inoculate   

v.给...接种，给...注射疫苗

参考例句：

• A corps of doctors arrived to inoculate the recruits.一队医生来给新兵打防疫针。
• I was just meant to come out here and inoculate some wee babies.我是过来这边给小孩子们接种疫苗的。

13 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。