VOA慢速英语 世界卫生组织警告全球警惕Zika病毒

Urgent Call to Stop the Spread of Zika Virus 世界卫生组织警告全球警惕Zika病毒

U.S. President Barack Obama has called for immediate¹ development of tests, vaccines² and treatments for the Zika virus.

The Zika virus has infected people in more than 20 countries.

Spread of zika virus

Just this week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that two people have tested positive for the virus in the states of Arkansas and Virginia. Health officials said that both became infected recently after traveling to countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing³.

Health official also reported that a baby recently born in Hawaii was infected with the virus in the mother’s womb. The mother had emigrated from Brazil early in her pregnancy⁴.

In Puerto Rico, health officials are reporting 18 cases of the virus, according to Reuters. The virus was first reported in the U.S. territory last December.

In Europe, a hospital said a Danish tourist who had traveled to South and Central America has tested positive for Zika virus. This came after British health officials confirmed five cases of returning travelers infected with the virus.

Where did the virus come from?

The CDC said that Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus in May 2015. Since then, the virus has spread by mosquitos and has caused infections in many Brazilian states and other countries in Latin America.   

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Zika virus could be linked to 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly in Brazil. Microcephaly is when babies are born with extremely small heads. It causes severe brain damage.

After the outbreak, Brazilian officials sent 200,000 troops to homes to deliver information on how to get rid of mosquitos. In areas that will be used for upcoming carnival⁵ celebrations and this year's Olympics, city workers sprayed chemicals to kill mosquitoes and their eggs.

Officials in El Salvador, Colombia and Jamaica have recommended women postpone⁶ getting pregnant. Women’s health advocates, however, said that advice was not appropriate.

Monica Roa is vice⁷ president of strategy for Women's Link Worldwide, a women's rights group. She said it is “incredibly na?ve for a government to ask women to postpone getting pregnant in a context such as Colombia where more than 50 percent of pregnancies⁸ are unplanned and across the region where sexual violence is prevalent."

WHO Director General Margaret Chan said Zika might spread to all countries in the Americas except for Canada and Chile.

"The explosive spread of Zika virus to new geographical⁹ areas, with little population immunity¹⁰, is another cause for concern, especially given the possible link between infection during pregnancy and babies born with small heads."

Symptoms and advice on the virus

Symptoms for Zika include mild fever, rash, joint¹¹ pain and red eyes. These symptoms can last from a few days to about a week.

However, an estimated 80 percent of people infected with the virus have no symptoms at all. This makes it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected. Researchers and health experts warn that there are many unknowns about the Zika virus.

The World Health Organization said there are two effective ways to stop the virus from spreading:

reduce the areas where mosquitos breed

and protect people from getting bit by mosquitoes by using insect repellants, nets, screens and clothing that covers as much of the body as possible.

The CDC suggests that pregnant women avoid traveling to 14 countries and territories in the Caribbean and Latin America affected¹² by the virus. These areas include Puerto Rico, Martinique, Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Brazil, Colombia, French Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela and Mexico.

The agency also warns that women who have recently traveled to these places during their pregnancy be examined and monitored for the virus.

Words in This Story

postpone to put off to a later time

repellant – n. serving or tending to drive away or ward¹³ off —often used in combination <a mosquito-repellent spray>

na?ve – adj. deficient¹⁴ in worldly wisdom or informed judgment¹⁵

prevalent – adj. common or widespread

1 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。

2 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

5 carnival   

n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演

参考例句：

• I got some good shots of the carnival.我有几个狂欢节的精彩镜头。
• Our street puts on a carnival every year.我们街的居民每年举行一次嘉年华会。

6 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

9 geographical   

adj.地理的；地区(性)的

参考例句：

• The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。
• These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

10 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

11 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

12 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。

13 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

14 deficient   

adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的

参考例句：

• The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。
• I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。

15 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。