CNN新闻英语第 92 课：West Nile Virus 肆虐的病毒

The West Nile virus continues to spread across the country, so do reports of human infections and deaths. CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey joins us now with the very latest - Rea. 西尼罗河病毒持续蔓延全国，关于人们遭受感染及死亡的报道也接踵而来。CNN医药记者雷·布拉奇向我们报道最新情况。

BLAKEY 布拉奇
Jan, the numbers are very likely to change, but state health officials in Illinois confirm a 67-year-old man there has died from West Nile virus, the first death reported outside the southern United States. This has yet to be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If confirmed, it would be the tenth fatality nationwide this year. Currently, nine states and the District of Columbia have CDC-confirmed human cases. 简， 数字很可能有变动，但伊利诺斯州的卫生部官员确定那里已经有一位67岁的男人死于西尼罗河病毒。这是所报道的美国南部以外城市的第一例死亡报告。当然这还要得到疾病防治及控制中心的确认。一旦此事确认，它将成为今年全国范围内的第十个死亡案例。现在，有9个州和哥伦比亚特区已发生经疾病控制中心确认的病例。

BLAKEY 布拉奇
The total number, according to CDC, 160 human cases, along with the one death on August 10th in Illinois. Illinois health officials also report three additional cases that are not yet included in the federal tally. The total number of states where West Nile is present, that means confirmed cases of human, mosquito, bird, horse cases, now 37 plus the District of Columbia. Now, if Colorado infections in animals reported by that state today are confirmed by the CDC, Colorado would be the western most state where the virus is present. 据疾病控制中心的报道，全国共有160人受感染，并且伊利诺斯州有一人于8月10日死亡。伊利诺斯卫生部同时也报道了另外3个不在全国统计数字之内的病例。出现西尼罗河病毒的共有37个州和哥伦比亚特区，这些地方都发生了经确认的人、蚊子、鸟和马匹受感染的病例。现在，如果科罗拉多州今天关于其动物受感染的报道被疾病控制中心确认的话，它将成为西部病毒肆虐最严重的州。

注: CDC 疾病控制中心 Centers for Disease Control

BLAKEY 布拉奇
The CDC predicts if the West Nile virus follows the patterns of previous years we could have 1,000 human cases before it's done. And remember, we've not yet hit the traditional peak of the season. Generally, West Nile virus peaks at the end of August, beginning of September. Until now, only the Culex mosquito, which is active at night, has been shown to transmit West Nile virus to humans. 据疾病控制中心预测，如果西尼罗河病毒像前几年的情形一样的话，在它消失以前我们要有1000 人难逃此劫。请记住，我们还没到传统上发病的高峰期。一般来讲，西尼罗病毒在8月底9月初的时候最猖獗。迄今为止，发现只有在夜晚活动频繁的库蚊能将西尼罗河病毒传播给人类。

BLAKEY 布拉奇
For the first time this season, the Asian tiger mosquito has been found to be carrying the virus in Maryland. That according to the International Society for Infectious Diseases. This discovery carries a greater health risk for humans since the Asian tiger mosquito is active during the day and tends to bite only humans, not birds or animals. So no sentinels there. 今年夏天第一次在马里兰发现带有病毒的亚洲虎蚊。根据传染病国际组织说，这一发现给人类带来了更大的健康危机，因为亚洲虎蚊在白天活动频繁，只叮咬人群，不叮咬鸟类和其它动物。因此，我们无从防备。

BLAKEY 布拉奇
Now, possible symptoms that should send you to the doctor if you think you might have West Nile virus or know someone who does include severe headache, sensitivity to light, fever, sometimes there's a rash. Also, any signs of mental confusion should be addressed by a health care professional. To reduce your risk of being bitten by one of those infected mosquitoes, wear repellent that is at least 25 to 35 percent DEET, that's a special chemical. For children just 10 percent DEET or less, and dump all standing water, Jan, around your property. It's just a mosquito-breeding magnet. 如果你认为自己可能感染了西尼罗河病毒或知道有人感染了，那么出现下列症状时你就该去看医生：严重的头疼、对光敏感、发烧、有时会出现皮疹等。任何精神混乱的症状也都要进行专业医疗。为了减少被那些受感染的蚊子叮咬的危险，我们可以涂上浓度至少为25-35%名叫避蚊胺的驱蚊剂，这是一种特殊的化学药品。对儿童来说只要10%或以下的浓度就可以了。简，清理你家周围的所有水沟，因为那是蚊子孳生的好地方。

HOPKINS 霍普金斯
And the peak of the season is still to come? 那么病毒高峰期还要来吗？

BLAKEY 布拉奇
Absolutely. 当然。

HOPKINS 霍普金斯
And basically, the season goes on until we have the frost, is that right? 并且，发病期基本上要持续到霜冻的时候才结束，是吗？

BLAKEY 布拉奇
Exactly, cooler weather. We heard earlier in the season, a couple of weeks ago officials from Louisiana indicating that they felt like they probably wouldn't have a break in the weather, a frost, until October. So you can see how the cases could potentially mount up continuously. 的确是这样，要等到天气再冷一点。这个季节开始的时候， 我们听说路易斯安那州的官员们在前几周就料到他们在10月份霜冻之前不能有片刻松懈。因此，可见这些潜在的感染危险怎样慢慢持续地增长着。