Zika epidemic in Colombia

哥伦比亚寨卡疫情

来源：刘立军

TRANSCRIPT

Colombia Health officials said the country’s Zika epidemic has ended. The virus which is linked to the birth defect - microcephaly has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. From Bogota, Natalio Cosoy reports. The Colombia Ministry of Health made a decision after the number of reported cases dropped to about 600 a week. That disease is now in epidemic phase which means the virus is still present but cases are not peaking. Nevertheless, health authorities warned that there might be new outbreaks. They are advising people to take care especially pregnant women. Since September 2015 when the Zika epidemic started in Colombia, almost 100,000 cases have been reported. Fewer than 9,000 confirmed with laboratory tests.

Adapted from 哥伦比亚寨卡疫情

VOCABULARY

1. Zika: 寨卡病毒是一种由蚊子传播的病毒，该病毒可能导致婴儿患上“小头症”。2015年，巴西有2700名婴儿怀疑患上小头症，其中29人死亡，主要集中在东北部，而2014年巴西只有147宗小头症个案。2016年1月，寨卡病毒在巴西引发疫情，这种病毒通过蚊虫叮咬传播，如果孕妇感染，胎儿可能会受到影响，导致新生儿小头症甚至死亡。2016年2月，WHO将寨卡病毒列为国际紧急卫生事故。2016年2月15日，俄境内发现首例输入性寨卡病毒感染病例。2016年2月21日，军事医学科学院完成了对寨卡病毒全基因组序列的测定。2016年5月15日，北京首现输入性寨卡病毒感染病例。截至2016年6月29日休斯敦已经确诊11人感染寨卡病毒。2016年7月13日，韩国确诊第8例寨卡感染病例。

2. microcephaly n. 小头症即头小畸形，是一种脑神经失调病症，患者脑部发育不全，终身不能自理生活。小头症可分为真性头小畸形、假性头小畸形两种，由染色体畸变、或胎儿受放射线照射或宫内感染引起。2015年11月28日，巴西卫生部宣布，先天性小头畸形的婴儿携带有寨卡病毒，两者之间的关联得到确认。2016年4月，美国疾控中心确认小头症由寨卡病毒引起。

QUESTIONS

Question 1: What’s the news mainly about?

A. The ending of Zika epidemic in Columbia.

B. The number of reported Zika epidemic cases a week in Columbia.

C. The time when the Zika epidemic started in Columbia.

D. The exact number of reported Zika epidemic cases in Columbia.

Question 2: Which of the following statements is FALSE about the Zika epidemic?

A. The virus is still present but cases are not peaking.

B. There might be new outbreaks.

C. Pregnant women are easy to be the victims of the Zika epidemic.

D. More than 9,000 confirmed with laboratory tests among the 100,000 reported cases.

SUGGESTED ANSWERS

1. A 主旨题。根据新闻的导语：Colombia Health officials said the country’s Zika epidemic has ended. The virus which is linked to the birth defect - microcephaly has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. 可以判断，A为正确选项。

2. D 推断题。根据新闻的最后两句：Since September 2015 when the Zika epidemic started in Colombia, almost 100,000 cases have been reported. Fewer than 9,000 confirmed with laboratory tests. 可以判断，D选项为错误的描述，原文讲的是fewer than 9,000, 而不是more than 9,000，所以，本题的正确答案应为D。