VOA慢速英语2014 联合国机构警告埃博拉病毒与蝙蝠之间的联系

 

AS IT IS 2014-07-28 UN Agency Warns of Link Between Ebola and Bats 联合国机构警告埃博拉病毒与蝙蝠之间的联系

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is warning people in West African countries about a link between eating wildlife and the disease Ebola. The FAO says it is especially worried about the fruit bat. It said people often eat fruit bats dried or in a spicy¹ soup. But the agency worries the animal may carry the Ebola virus without showing any signs of disease.

The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the deadliest recorded. More than 600 people have died from the disease in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone over the past four months.

The FAO said the sickness probably started when the Ebola virus moved from infected wild animals into humans. Experts said the virus then moved from person to person. It spreads when someone touches blood or other body fluids from an infected person.

Juan Lubroth is the Chief Veterinary Officer at the FAO.

“When we, as humans, go into the forest either for hunting or gathering² food, first animal we encounter could be weak or ill. And then we bring it back to our village there’s some risk there of bringing back, in this particular case, maybe an Ebola affected³ animal.”

Dr. Lubroth says villagers may get infected when they help prepare the animal as food.

“You could have transmission⁴ to humans -- either the hunter who’s dressing⁵ the animal, cleaning it for food preparation -- or other villagers that may be involved with the food preparation, including women. And there you have that transmission of the virus to the human population.”

He says that process moves the virus into the human population.

If a person becomes ill and goes to a medical center, he or she could infect doctors or nurses. The initial⁶ symptoms of Ebola may take about two weeks to appear and begin with only a fever, like many sicknesses.“

Dr. Lubroth said the danger is great. He says it is not realistic to suggest that people stop hunting. But he says communities need what he called “clear advice” not to touch dead animals. And he urged people not to sell or eat the meat of any animal found dead. 

As Ebola spreads, so do people’s fears. Medical workers say some people feel so afraid they hide infected people without asking for help. Other people are not going to work.

The FAO will help governments in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone launch wildlife observation programs. The programs would be used as early-warning systems for Ebola. The UN agency also plans to help communities produce livestock⁷ animals. The goal is to reduce dependency on bush meat. 

1 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 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。

4 transmission   

n.播送，发射，传送，传递，传染

参考例句：

• When the transmission is good,foreign stations can be heard.在传送情况良好时，以收到外国电台。
• The letter was delayed in transmission.这封信在传递中被耽误了。

5 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

6 initial   

adj.最初的，开始的，词首的；n.首字母，姓名的开头字母；vt.标注姓名的首字母于

参考例句：

• After she'd overcome her initial shyness,she became very friendly.她克服了起初的羞怯之后，变得十分友善。
• The experiments have given initial results eventually.那些试验总算初见成效了。

7 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。