VOA标准英语2009年-Hong Kong Asks Students to Stay in America

Hong Kong has asked students in the United States to defer¹ travel back home if they have symptoms of the flu. Several cases in Asia of A-H1N1 influenza², the swine-flu virus responsible for outbreaks in scores of countries worldwide, have been traced back to the United States. Authorities have asked the United States to screen passengers taking international flights to prevent the flu from further spreading.
　
Hospital, swine flu

The Cathay Pacific flight 831 from New York to Hong Kong on May 17th carried 300 passengers. Two of them came down with A-H1N1 influenza virus - an Australian doctor who headed to Taiwan where he was diagnosed as the island's first swine-flu case and a 19-year-old student who became the third case in Hong Kong.

The same flight, arriving on May 22nd, carried a 20-year-old student sick with swine flu. On Sunday, a girl who had traveled to the United States became Hong Kong's seventh case.

Authorities here are worried about the way the virus is spreading. Several new cases of swine flu in Asia are people who arrived from the United States - where more than 65-hundred people have fallen ill.

A woman in the Philippines who had traveled to Chicago and 19-year-old student who arrived in Shanghai from New York were among the latest cases in Asia Monday.

Hong Kong's health secretary York Chow wrote to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, requesting exit screening measures at U.S. airports for travelers with flu-like symptoms who may spread the virus to other countries.

Dr. Gabriel Matthew Leung, undersecretary for health, says Hong Kong representative offices in the United States have contacted Hong Kong student organizations and appealed for students to defer travel during the summer break if they are sick.

"I would reiterate³ and re-emphasize my appeal to all those who are thinking of and planning to travel back from their studies especially from North America to make sure that they do not show any symptoms of influenza and that they do not have a fever before they board the flight. And of course, they should go to the doctor immediately if they do, and seek care locally where they are currently, in North America and make sure that they are fully⁴ recovered before they take the flight," Leung said.

In mainland China, students returning from overseas were told to avoid meeting relatives and friends days after arrival.

Dr. Thomas Tsang, head of Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection, says temperature scanning at the airport, where some 13-thousand passengers pass through daily, is still the city's first line of defense⁵.

"I think we cannot exclude from any country, or any place that is affected⁶. That is why our port measures, we are targeting at every affected area," he said.

Since the first cases of the flu emerged in Asia, health authorities have tracked down and quarantined scores of people who flew on the same flight or stayed in the same hotel as those who had contracted the virus.

1 defer   

vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从

参考例句：

• We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定。
• We will defer to whatever the committee decides.我们遵从委员会作出的任何决定。

2 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。

3 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 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。