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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
London
08 August 2007
For the first time since the confirmation1 of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain earlier this month, the government has decided2 to ease restrictions3 on livestock4 shipments in areas outside of the affected5 zone in southern England. For VOA, Tom Rivers reports from London.
Five days into the intense investigation7 into the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak here, government veterinarians have concluded that containment9 appears to be working well and eased the nationwide ban on livestock transport. From midnight local time Thursday, some cattle shipments outside the 10-kilometer surveillance zone around the affected farms will be permitted under strict guidelines.
culling6 of animals is to take place in Normandy, 08 Aug 2007" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070811/1105340.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />
Police close off a road to Hunts Hill Farm where a precautionary culling of animals is to take place in Normandy, 08 Aug 2007
The European Union, meanwhile, kept a ban on British meat and dairy exports, and Britain itself retained a self-imposed export ban on such products.
Chief veterinary officer Debby Reynolds says all the necessary bio-security measures will be taken from the farms to the slaughterhouse.
"The ban on movements of FMD [foot and mouth disease] susceptible11 animals remains12 in place across Great Britain," said Reynolds. "However, the decision has been taken today to permit the movement of live animals direct to slaughter10 and the collection of dead animals from farms from midnight tonight."
So far, more that 200 head of cattle have been slaughtered13 in this outbreak. Reynolds says all tests indicate the same infection source, an old strain dating back to 1967.
"Test results this morning have revealed that the strain of FMD found on the second premises14 is OFBFS67-like virus," said Reynolds. "This appears to be the same as the strain identified on the first farm on the 4th of August."
Although it looks like the quick movement by the government may have contained the spread of the highly contagious15 disease, farms within the restricted zone remain under intense scrutiny16. Chief vet8 Reynolds says another farm is now facing the loss of all of its livestock.
"I have this morning ordered culling on suspicion of foot-and-mouth disease on one farm adjacent to the second farm infected premises in the protection zone," added Reynolds. "I cannot rule out that disease is developing on the premises."
Meanwhile, given the old strain of the virus, suspicion is focussing on an animal vaccine17 plant where a vaccine production run on the 1967 version of the disease was made in mid-July.
Health investigators18 are looking into the possibility that it may have been transferred outside of the facility by an employee, either accidentally or deliberately19. But officials at the plant, the privately20 run Merial Animal Health laboratory, reject the claim, saying there is no evidence the virus was transported out of its center by humans.
The disease affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cows and pigs and is spread mostly through direct contact between animals or through contaminated feed. The virus poses no known risks to humans.
1 confirmation | |
n.证实,确认,批准 | |
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2 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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3 restrictions | |
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则) | |
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4 livestock | |
n.家畜,牲畜 | |
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5 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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6 culling | |
n.选择,大批物品中剔出劣质货v.挑选,剔除( cull的现在分词 ) | |
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7 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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8 vet | |
n.兽医,退役军人;vt.检查 | |
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9 containment | |
n.阻止,遏制;容量 | |
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10 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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11 susceptible | |
adj.过敏的,敏感的;易动感情的,易受感动的 | |
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12 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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13 slaughtered | |
v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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15 contagious | |
adj.传染性的,有感染力的 | |
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16 scrutiny | |
n.详细检查,仔细观察 | |
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17 vaccine | |
n.牛痘苗,疫苗;adj.牛痘的,疫苗的 | |
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18 investigators | |
n.调查者,审查者( investigator的名词复数 ) | |
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19 deliberately | |
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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20 privately | |
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地 | |
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