2006年VOA标准英语-UN Opens Disease Emergency Center in Rome

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
12 October 2006
 
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on Thursday inaugurated a new Crisis Management Center to fight avian influenza¹ outbreaks and other major animal health or food health-related emergencies.

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		Two farm workers walk toward birds suspected of having bird flu virus in Jaji, Nigeria

FAO's director general, Dr. Jacques Diouf, said that in the three years since the beginning of the avian influenza crisis, the international community can report some progress in the effort to contain the deadly menace to animals and humans across the globe.

But speaking at the launch of the new Crisis Management Center to combat bird flu and other animal diseases, he stressed that while progress has been made, the international community cannot lower its guard.

Diouf said bird flu continues to be a potent² threat in Indonesia and Africa, as well as in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. The new center, he added, is of utmost importance because the fight will probably have to go on for at least another decade.

"Speed is of the essence," he said.  "Alert must be lightening quick. Reaction must be immediate³ in combating a disease, which can move across borders and continents terrifyingly fast."

The FAO director general added that the new center is designed to respond immediately to any suspected outbreak of avian influenza at the request of any of our member nations. He explained how it will work.

"Staffed by between six and 15 specialists and veterinarians, manned round the clock seven days a week, supported by the most up-to-date communications technology, it can have a team of experts on the ground anywhere in the world between 24 and 48 hours," he said.

The H5-N1 strain of bird flu has killed at least 148 people worldwide since outbreaks in Asia three years ago. Diouf said the aim of the center is not only to respond quickly to new outbreaks of avian influenza, but also to deal with other animal diseases that often pose a mortal threat to humans.

"Although it will initially⁴ focus on avian influenza, it will serve our members' needs even more broadly by bringing the same rapid response capacity to all trans-boundary diseases and pests of plants and animals as well as food safety emergencies," he noted⁵.

The new center has been financed by donations from several nations, including the United States, which gave $5.1 million toward the establishment of the new center.

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 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。