2006年VOA标准英语-Cholera Outbreak Kills 80 in Nigeria

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
04 September 2006

Health officials in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno have confirmed the death of at least 80 people in a cholera¹ outbreak. Nearly 2,000 people have so far being infected.

The state government has dispatched medical teams to the affected² nine districts to check the further spread of the disease.

Most of the victims are women and children. The regions struggling health care system has been put under intense pressure as it struggles to put the disease under check.

Alhaji Buba Umar, of the state ministry³ of health and leader of one of the medical teams providing treatment to those afflicted⁴, told VOA that investigations⁵ so far have identified contaminated water as the primary source of the outbreak.

"It is still a mystery to us but we strongly suspect it could be from contaminated water. Because we asked the same questions and the response was that whenever it rained some people collect water from rooftops, water coming down an they believe, may be it is from there," said Umar. "In this part of the country, whenever it rains people put buckets under water collectors to collect water. Some of the roofs are dirty. That is what they told us. But some of us have a strong belief that it may be from these contaminated dams people are digging around. Definitely, it must be water-sourced."

The outbreak was first reported last Thursday and indications are that the death toll⁶ may rise as officials are still compiling the latest tally⁷.

Hundreds of people die of cholera every year during the rainy season in Nigeria. Poor people who cannot afford basic health care are most vulnerable.

However, Umar says there is nothing to worry as the spread of the disease is now being controlled.

"The reports are being compiled but rest be assured that everything is under control because we have dispatched about nine teams just the day before yesterday to the various local government areas affected and by this evening the report will be ready," he said. "We met only two people o admission and they are responding to treatment."

Cholera, an infectious disease that affects people through drinking water contaminated with cholera bacteria, can kill people within 24 hours by inducing vomiting⁸ and diarrhea.

1 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

2 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。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 afflicted   

使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
• A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。

5 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

6 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

7 tally   

n.计数器，记分，一致，测量；vt.计算，记录，使一致；vi.计算，记分，一致

参考例句：

• Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
• The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。

8 vomiting   

吐

参考例句：

• Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. 症状有腹泻和呕吐。
• Especially when I feel seasick, I can't stand watching someone else vomiting." 尤其晕船的时候，看不得人家呕。”