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Ebola Is a Public Health Emergency, WHO Says
The World Health Organization on August 8 declared the Ebola outbreak that was spreading across West Africa to be a “public health emergency of international concern.” WHO Chief, Margaret Chan, said she urged the international community to provide support on the most urgent basis possible and bring in more foreign aid. Based on new numbers from WHO, the Ebola outbreak is the largest and longest in history and it is on track to sicken more than all of the previous outbreaks combined. In the United States, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention already recommends against traveling to West Africa.
The epidemic has affected Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Nigerian President Jonathan approved nearly $12 million of emergency funds to contain the outbreak and asked people to avoid holding large gatherings that might spread the virus. Liberia and Sierra Leone have sent security forces to quarantine affected areas, setting up roadblocks and establish checkpoints to limit people's movements as part of the efforts to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
An infected person isn't contagious until the symptoms begin. It can take up to three weeks for those symptoms to appear once a person catches the virus, either through bushmeat or the bodily fluids of an Ebola patient. Ebola patients may experience fever, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches and uncontrollable bleeding from all openings in the body, including the eyes, mouth and ears. There is currently no licensed vaccine or treatment for Ebola, although experimental drugs are being explored.
世界衛生組織:伊波拉疫情為國際公共衛生緊急事件
世界衛生組織於八月八日宣布,伊波拉病毒的疫情已在西非蔓延,並構成了「國際性的公共衛生緊急事件」。世界衛生組織總幹事陳馮富珍呼籲國際社會盡可能提供緊急支援並帶入更多的外援。根據世界衛生組織的新數據,此次伊波拉疫情的爆發是史上規模最大、時間最長的狀況,而目前病情仍持續擴散中,受感染的病例恐會勝過歷來所有疫情爆發的總和。美國疾病控制與預防中心已提出勿前往西非的警告。
這次疫情已影響了幾內亞、賴比瑞亞、奈及利亞和獅子山。奈及利亞總統強納森日前已核准近一千兩百萬美金的緊急專款來控制疫情爆發,同時也要求人民避免舉辦大型集會以降低病毒的傳播。而賴比瑞亞和獅子山則是派遣保安部隊隔離疫區並且設置路障和檢查哨限制人民出入來控制致命病毒的傳染。
受感染的人在病症發作後才有傳染性。接觸到病毒後的潛伏期可達三週,感染的途徑為叢林野味或是伊波拉患者的體液。伊波拉患者可能會發燒、嘔吐、腹瀉、身體疼痛以及身體各個孔穴異常出血,例如從眼、口與耳等部位。目前雖有實驗性藥物的研發,但針對伊波拉病毒並沒有核准許可的疫苗或療法。
《Vocabulary》
1. outbreak n. 爆發
2. epidemic n. 流行病
3. contain v. 抑制
4. quarantine n. 隔離;檢疫
5. checkpoint n. 檢查站
6. symptom n. 症狀
7. bushmeat n. 野味(原指中西非為了食用或商業目的狩獵得來動物的肉,引伸為對所有熱帶雨林動物狩獵後所得的肉類)
8. fluid n. 流體;液體
9. licensed adj. 得到許可的
10. vaccine n. 疫苗
資料來源:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/08/08/world-health-organisation-ebola-outbreak-west-africa/13763509/
http://www.voanews.com/content/nigeria-declares-state-of-emergency-over-ebola/2407712.html
http://www.voanews.com/content/liberia-sierra-leone-deploy-troops-to-contain-ebola/2407268.html
http://www.voanews.com/content/ebola-on-track-to-infect-more-people/2408103.html
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