VOA标准英语2013--US Flu Outbreak Earlier, Spreading Faster

 

US Flu Outbreak Earlier, Spreading Faster

Massachusetts is one of 41 U.S. states now reporting widespread cases of influenza¹. Tom Memino is the mayor² of Boston, the state's biggest city.

“I’m declaring a public health emergency in the city of Boston. The latest reports show an increasingly³ tough flu season," he said.

A hospital in eastern Pennsylvania set up a special tent outside the emergency room to deal with the wave of flu patients.

Several hospitals in Chicago have had to turn patients away and send them to other hospitals in the area.

Dr. Marc Siegel, of George Washington University Hospital in Washington, says seasonal⁴ influenza is an international phenomenon. It usually breaks out in the coldest season of the year. 

"It generally moves through Eastern Europe, then to Western Europe and then kind of spreads westward⁵ to the United States. Now with international travel, we often see it spread everywhere much quicker," he said. 

Dr. Siegel describes the typical symptoms of flu. "So influenza generally gives you a muscle ache, headache, high fevers. It can be associated with a sore throat, runny nose, cough, but any number of other viruses can give you similar symptoms that might not be quite as severe," he said.

Doctors say if flu symptoms are severe, such as shortness of breath, patients should see a doctor. And they recommend a flu vaccination⁶ as the best protection against the illness.

Doctors warn that small children and the elderly are the most vulnerable⁷ to serious complications⁸ from the flu.

A six-year-old girl from Dallas died just hours after her grandparents took her to the emergency room with flu-like symptoms and she was seen and released⁹. 

Veleta Johnson is her grandmother. “They looked down her throat, checked her ears, vitals were all good, said she had the flu and told me what to do to make sure she felt better," she said. 

Doctors say they do not know if this unusually early flu season has peaked yet, or if this year’s outbreak will get worse. 

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 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

3 increasingly   

adv.逐渐地，日益地，逐渐增加地

参考例句：

• Rivers are being increasingly made use of by man. 河流正在日益为人类所利用。
• I find it increasingly difficult to live within my income.我发现靠收入过日子越来越难了。

4 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

5 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

6 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。

7 vulnerable   

adj.易受伤的，脆弱的，易受攻击的

参考例句：

• He volunteered to protect her as she looked so vulnerable.她看上去很脆弱，他就主动去保护她。
• The company is in an economically vulnerable position.该公司目前经济状况不稳定。

8 complications   

（新出现的）困难，难题( complication的名词复数 )； 并发症； 曲折

参考例句：

• Complications set in, and the patient died. 病人因出现并发症而死亡。
• Normally there are no complications with the medicine. 服用这种药按理不会产生并发症。

9 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。