VOA常速英语2007年-New Measles Outbreak Reported in Nigeria

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
05 December 2007

Dozens of children may have died from a new outbreak of measles¹ in the northern Nigerian town of Zaria.  Gilbert da Costa in Abuja has been following up on the latest public health concern in Nigeria and filed this report for VOA.
 
Local press reports suggest as many as 50 children may have died in the past week in the latest outbreak of measles in the northwestern town of Zaria, but officials say the number is far lower.
 
Officials say the number of reported cases has reduced sharply in recent days, an indication the outbreak has been brought under control.
 
Dr. Hamid Abdulkadir, the number two man at the Kaduna state ministry² of health, under whose jurisdiction³ Zaria falls, says the victims were mostly children who declined recent mass vaccination⁴ campaigns.

"Just a few cases of measles, about six cases, just one or two deaths, in families who have been rejecting the routine vaccinations⁵ during the polio-plus days," he noted⁶.  "This is a clear evidence that if you do not take the vaccination, you are very liable.  We just need to step up our public awareness⁷, particularly for those who are still rejecting."
 
Officials say vaccine⁸ coverage⁹ in Nigeria has doubled from 35 percent in 2005 to about 76 percent of the population last year.
 
The United Nations say 1 million children in oil-rich Nigeria die every year before the age of five, from preventable causes such as malaria¹⁰, diarrhea, and measles.
 
Measles, caused by a highly infectious virus, is marked by fever and a characteristic rash.  Measles deaths have plunged¹¹ in Africa thanks to concerted efforts to vaccinate¹² children, the United Nations said last week.
 
The disease is often fatal in poor countries because it attacks malnourished children.

1 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

2 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。

3 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

4 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

5 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

8 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。

9 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

10 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

11 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

12 vaccinate   

vt.给…接种疫苗；种牛痘

参考例句：

• Local health officials then can plan the best times to vaccinate people.这样，当地的卫生官员就可以安排最佳时间给人们接种疫苗。
• Doctors vaccinate us so that we do not catch smallpox.医生给我们打预防针使我们不会得天花。