VOA慢速英语20060125a

HEALTH REPORT - U.N. Warns of Coming Risk to Africa From Bird FluBy Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Wednesday, January 25, 2006

I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Health Report.


Wild birds could carry bird flu to Africa

Nobody can tell where bird flu will appear next. But experts from the United Nations say it could be Africa. Delegates¹ heard warnings last week at an international conference in Beijing.

The U.N. coordinator² for avian influenza³, David Nabarro, says Africa is a strong possibility this spring because of the pathways of wild birds. Still, Mister⁴ Nabarro says every country in the world should get prepared.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization had its own warnings for the coming months. It says wild birds coming from Africa could spread the virus in the Black Sea, Caucasus and Near East areas. It says trade and the movement of people could also spread the flu.

The World Health Organization says at least eighty people have died of the h-five-n-one virus since December of two thousand three. This month, Turkey became the first country outside East Asia to report cases in people.

The conference in Beijing took place to raise money to fight bird flu. The United States and others offered almost two thousand million dollars. U.N. officials said they had expected less.

Experts say the virus could kill millions if it changes into a form that spreads easily from person to person.

People are warned about the risk from sick or dead birds or infected waste. But the W.H.O. says heat kills the virus in poultry⁵ meat if all parts are cooked to at least seventy degrees Celsius⁶.

The virus has not been reported in Africa. But the fact that many Africans, like many Asians, keep chickens and other poultry is a cause for concern. Also, many areas already suffer from hunger, poverty and high death rates from AIDS.

Experts say Africa does not enough resources to identify birds that might be infected. Money would also be needed to contain any outbreaks, and to treat any infected people.

Scientists are working on vaccines⁷ to protect against the virus. They are also working on new influenza treatments. Some say there is not enough evidence to know how effective current antiviral drugs like Tamiflu might be against bird flu.

One new drug said to have shown some promise in laboratory⁸ tests is peramivir. Tests in people began in December. American officials have agreed to a speedy approval⁹ process for this new drug.

Yet experts say public health measures as simple as hand washing are also important in the fight against bird flu.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Cynthia Kirk. Read and listen to our reports at www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 delegates   

代表，代表团成员( delegate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conference was attended by delegates from 56 countries. 此次会议有来自56个国家的代表出席。
• Delegates expressed strong opposition to the plans. 代表强烈反对这些计划。

2 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

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 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

5 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?

6 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

7 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。

8 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。

9 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。