2007年VOA标准英语-Measles Deaths Drop Sharply With Africa in Lead

By David McAlary
Washington
18 January 2007

International public health officials say the number of deaths from measles¹ has dropped sharply in developing nations since 1999, with the biggest decline in Africa. VOA's David McAlary has more on the story from Washington.

 
A child receives a shot of measles vaccine² in Banyusoco village, Indonesia
A coalition³ of public health and charitable agencies called the Measles Initiative reports that global measles deaths plunged⁴ 60 percent between 1999 and 2005. World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan says the drop in Africa, the region hardest hit by the disease, has been 75 percent.

"Today's announcement is an historic victory for global public health," said Margaret Chan. "The good news is Africa is leading the way."

The Measles Initiative says the big decline in Africa is the main reason the global drop exceeded the United Nations target for a 50 percent reduction in deaths from the virus.

 
Margaret Chan
Dr. Chan says the number of measles deaths fell from 873,000 in 1999 to 345,000 by the end of 2005, with an estimated 2.3 million children saved.

"Instead of seeing numerous fresh graves for young children, this is something of the past," she said. "Another important sign is many measles wards⁵ have become empty in hospitals in Africa."

Health officials attribute the success to increased immunization rates promoted by the Measles Initiative since its 2001 inception⁶ and support from national governments. The strategy involved two doses of measles vaccine with supplements of vitamin A.

The executive director of UNICEF, Ann Veneman, says the rate for first vaccination⁷ increased from 71 percent to 77 percent between 1999 and 2005, with inoculations given to 360 million children aged⁸ nine months to 15 years.

"When we look at this kind of success, it gives us hope as we look toward achieving the Millennium⁹ Development Goals, particularly the goal that calls for the reducing of child mortality by two-thirds from 1990 levels with the end date of 2015," said Ann Veneman.

The chief of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Julie Gerberding, says the success of the measles campaign so far has encouraged the coalition to set a new target of reducing measles deaths 90 percent by 2010. The aim is to be more aggressive in Asia and the eastern Mediterranean¹⁰ region.

Gerberding says the approach is a model that can be used to attack other diseases.

"I truly believe we will not only exceed this Measles Initiative goal, but we will build on this opportunity to solve the other global health problems that affect not only the children around the world, but many adults as well," said Julie Gerberding.

Yet whether measles can be eradicated¹¹ as smallpox¹² was is a different matter.

Health officials say it is conceivable because the virus does not exist in animals, it is stable and mutates little, and the vaccine is effective.

However, they also note that several factors could prevent eradication¹³. The virus is highly infectious and requires continued high vaccine coverage¹⁴, but 29 million children in developing nations still do not receive routine measles shots and wars in several countries prevent mass vaccination campaigns.

"At this stage, I think it is too early to talk about eradication," she said.

Again, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan.

"It's something we can talk about and see the next stage after we have achieved the new goal," noted¹⁵ Margaret Chan.

1 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

2 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

5 wards   

区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态

参考例句：

• This hospital has 20 medical [surgical] wards. 这所医院有 20 个内科[外科]病房。
• It was a big constituency divided into three wards. 这是一个大选区，下设三个分区。

6 inception   

n.开端，开始，取得学位

参考例句：

• The programme has been successful since its inception.这个方案自开始实施以来一直卓有成效。
• Julia's worked for that company from its inception.自从那家公司开办以来，朱莉娅一直在那儿工作。

7 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。

8 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

9 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

10 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

11 eradicated   

画着根的

参考例句：

• Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
• The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。

12 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

13 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

14 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。