2006年VOA标准英语-Outbreaks of Mosquito-Borne Diseases Hit India

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
05 October 2006

India is struggling to cope with outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases that have killed more than 100 people and infected thousands of others in recent weeks.

Overburdened hospitals and clinics in several cities in the north of India are scrambling¹ to treat thousands of patients admitted in recent days with symptoms of high fever and severe body aches.

Most of them have been stricken with the mosquito-borne disease, dengue fever, which can be fatal.

The disease usually surfaces after the annual monsoon² season ends in September and leaves behind pools of stagnant³ water that become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. But the increase in cases this year in such places as the capital New Delhi has raised concerns.

India's health minister Anbumani Ramadoss met with health officials from northern states affected⁴ by the disease. He is asking people not to panic, saying hospitals are well-equipped to treat dengue fever. He says the disease has claimed 38 victims so far - 15 of them in New Delhi.

Ramadoss says a construction boom in New Delhi is partly responsible for the outbreak, as stagnant water is collecting in pits at massive construction sites across the city. He also calls for greater public awareness⁵ about the need for better sanitation⁶.

"Dengue is primarily a sanitation problem, secondary a health problem. Because of [a lack of] sanitation, hygiene⁷, and lot of construction activities have been happening," he said. "It is not only a government responsibility, but individual, collective responsibility, a household responsibility of the public." 

fumes8 from municipality fumigant9 sprayer in New Delh, Oct. 3, 2006 " src="/upimg/allimg/070429/1444180.jpg" width="210" border="0" /> Children hold their noses to avoid fumes from municipality fumigant sprayer in New Delh, Oct. 3, 2006

Municipal workers have fanned out across New Delhi to spray insecticide and clean up pools of stagnant water. Children have been advised to wear long-sleeved clothing to school.

Local media reports say members of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's family may be among those hit, with two of his grandsons and a son-in-law hospitalized in New Delhi with dengue-like symptoms.

Even as the north of the country worries about dengue fever, the southern state of Kerala is battling with another disease that has killed more than 70 people and affected thousands of others. Local authorities believe a rare mosquito-borne virus, which causes a disease known as chikungunya, is sweeping¹⁰ the region.

A joint¹¹ team of experts from the World Health Organization and the federal government is traveling to the state to verify the cause of the outbreak.

"There are some questions of is this chikungunya or is this not?" said Harsaran Pandey, a spokeswoman for the World Health Organization in New Delhi. "Because normally chikungunya seems not to result in death, but you have had several deaths here ... so they will try and ascertain¹² for themselves what exactly is the situation."

The health minister has assured people that the federal government and state governments are stepping up efforts to control the spread of the diseases.

1 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

3 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

4 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。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

7 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

8 fumes   

n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体

参考例句：

• The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

9 fumigant   

n.薰剂

参考例句：

• Sanitary fumigant, poisonless and smokeless, can clean and refresh air effectively. 卫生熏香，无毒、无烟，清新空气有特效。 来自互联网
• Objective: To observe the effect of sitz bath with fumigant on patients with mixed hemorrhoid surgery. 目的：观察混合痔患者应用术后薰洗方坐浴的治疗效果。 来自互联网

10 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

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 ascertain   

vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清

参考例句：

• It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
• We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。