巴西邻里雇佣自己的医疗队对抗冠状病毒

Brazil Neighborhood Hires Own Medical Team to Fight Coronavirus

Emerson Barata makes a map of Sao Paulo's largest favela neighborhood, Paraisopolis. He then makes a mark for each known coronavirus case in the area. At the center of the favela of around 120,000 people, he makes four marks.

"It's going to get a lot worse," the 34-year-old tells a medical team that has gathered. Barata adds another two marks to the favela's outer areas.

He is leading the coronavirus response team in Paraisopolis. Along with the six confirmed cases, his team suspects another 60.

He is not connected to the Brazilian government. Neither is the medical team. Instead, Barata is part of a group of Paraisopolis residents² whose deep distrust of the government has led them to deal with the crisis³ themselves.

The residents' group has hired a 24-hour private medical service, including three emergency vehicles, two doctors and two nurses. They have also hired drivers and support workers.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed⁴ the virus as "a little influenza⁵" and told Brazilians to get back to work. But Barata has stayed awake many nights trying to get his favela ready for what he describes as a "war."

Barata did not say how much this would cost or how it was being financed⁶. He only said donations⁷ have paid for some of it. Much of the money still needs to be raised, he said. The medical team is on a 30-day written agreement, which is likely to be extended⁸.

Luiz Carlos is a doctor who is part of the hired medical team. "I think it's going to get ugly," he said. "This is a ‘little flu' that kills."

As Barata stood outside the repair business that now serves as the medical team's base, he said, "Favelas are going to be hit the worst."

Public health experts agree. The crowded living conditions, poor waste removal⁹, lack of healthcare and other things make Brazil's favelas especially at risk for an outbreak of the virus.

In addition, many Paraisopolis residents work in the nearby wealthy neighborhood of Morumbi, which has the highest number of infections in Brazil.

Across Latin¹⁰ America, many of the cases were confirmed in people wealthy enough to travel internationally. But the virus is expected to hit the poorest communities the hardest.

Brazil has the most confirmed cases of the coronavirus of any Latin American country. It has nearly 7,000 confirmed cases and 240 deaths so far.

Celia Parnes is the Secretary of Social Development for the state of Sao Paulo. She said the government was concerned about the speed of infections in favelas and was working to help neighborhoods like Paraisopolis with free meals and financial resources.

Parnes said public healthcare in Paraisopolis was no different from the rest of the city, claiming emergency vehicles do reach the favela.

But she praised the work of the residents' group.

In an emailed statement, Sao Paulo's city government said it has offered free food and other needs to residents of Paraisopolis. It said it also has sent around cars with loud speakers broadcasting the importance of washing hands and staying indoors¹¹.

Sao Paulo's water and waste removal firm said it was sending 2,400 water tanks to poor neighborhoods, including Paraisopolis, to help during the health crisis.

The population density¹² in Paraisopolis is about the same as the Manhattan area of New York City, although most buildings are just two or three levels high. Residents complain that the water stops running after 8:00 at night. They also say garbage gets high along the wet, narrow walk areas that go through the community.

Unofficial power here belongs to the First Capital Command, Brazil's largest and most powerful gang¹³, known by the letters PCC.

A member of the medical team said their work had the gang's approval¹⁴. Reuters was not immediately able to contact any of the gang's local leaders.

Words in This Story

favela – n. a low- and middle-income and unregulated informal settlement neighborhood in Brazil

response – n. something that is done as a reaction to something else

resident¹ – n. someone who lives in a particular place

hire – v. to give work or a job to (someone) in exchange for wages or a salary

outbreak – n. a sudden start or increase of fighting or disease¹⁵

garbage – n. things that are no longer useful or wanted and that have been thrown out

gang – n. a group of young people who do illegal things together and who often fight against other gangs

1 resident   

a.居住的，居留的；住校的，住院的

参考例句：

• I've been resident in this place for five years. 我已经在这个地方住了五年。
• They engaged a resident tutor. 他们聘用了一名住家的家庭教师。

2 residents   

n.居民( resident的名词复数 )；（旅馆的）住宿者

参考例句：

• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。
• Local residents have reacted angrily to the news. 当地居民对这一消息表示愤怒。

3 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

4 dismissed   

v.解雇( dismiss的过去式和过去分词 )；（使击球员或球队）退场；使退去；驳回

参考例句：

• Vegetarians are no longer dismissed as cranks. 素食者不再被视为有怪癖的人。
• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。

5 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。

6 financed   

为…供给资金，从事金融活动( finance的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Capital expenditure can be financed by borrowing; operating expenditure should not. 资本支出可以靠借款，而运营费用不行。
• All purchases shall be financed with the proceeds of loan. 全部货款用贷款支付。

7 donations   

n.捐赠( donation的名词复数 )；赠送；捐款；捐赠物

参考例句：

• The hospital receives a good deal of money in donations. 这家医院收到捐赠来的大笔款项。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The charity is completely reliant on public donations. 这一慈善团体完全依靠公众捐款。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 removal   

n.去除，消除；挪走，移走，搬迁

参考例句：

• After the removal of the soup,fish was served.汤撤去后，鱼就上来了。
• The factory announced its removal to another town.这家工厂宣布迁往另一座城镇。

10 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

11 indoors   

adv.(在)室内，(在)户内

参考例句：

• Because of the coldness of the weather we stayed indoors.我们因天气寒冷呆在家里。
• It is very cold outside,you'd better come indoors across the board.外面很冷，你们所有人最好都进屋。

12 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

13 gang   

n.一伙，一帮；结伴的朋友

参考例句：

• The gang live abroad,beyond reach of the British police.这帮匪徒住在国外，英国警方鞭长莫及。
• Some gang came in and shot the place up.有股匪帮进来对这个地方开枪扫射。

14 approval   

n.赞成，同意；批准，认可

参考例句：

• The audience has expressed its approval.观众已经认可。
• The teacher signed his approval.老师做了手势表示同意。

15 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。