世卫组织宣布猴痘为“健康紧急状态”后呼吁捐款

WHO Calls for Donations after Declaring Mpox a ‘Health Emergency’

慢速| 六级 偏易 | 839词 | 9min6s

刘立军供稿

Part I. QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

Q1. What motivated the WHO to declare mpox in Africa a public health emergency of international concern?

A. Increased cases and deaths reported in Europe.

B. Recommendations from the Africa CDC.

C. A significant spike in cases from different African countries.

D. Pressure from the United Nations.

Q2. How many countries in Africa have identified cases of mpox in recent weeks?

A. 13.

B. 10.

C. 15.

D. 18.

Q3. In what way has the new form of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo made recognition of the disease more challenging?

A. By causing more severe damage to internal organs.

B. By producing fewer observable symptoms such as lesions.

C. By having a longer incubation period.

D. By mimicking the symptoms of other common diseases.

Q4. What action did the WHO and Africa CDC call for in response to the mpox outbreak?

A. Enhanced international travel restrictions.

B. Development of new mpox-specific antiviral drugs.

C. Immediate vaccination of all African citizens.

D. Increased funding and resource mobilization.

Q5. What percentage of mpox-related deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo involve children under the age of 15?

A. 70 percent.

B. 85 percent.

C. 60 percent.

D. 95 percent.

Q6. What concern does Greg Ramm of Save the Children have regarding mpox?

A. The disease could affect water supplies.

B. The virus might mutate into a more dangerous form.

C. Mpox could spread rapidly in crowded refugee camps.

D. Vaccine distribution is being mismanaged.

Q7. What is a potential reason given by Dr. Boghuma Titanji for the higher mpox infection rate among children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

A. Social conditions like overcrowding and infected parents.

B. Increased mobility of children.

C. Genetic factors.

D. Poor dietary habits.

Q8. How did developed countries manage to stop the mpox outbreak in 2022?

A. By enforcing strict quarantine measures.

B. By administering treatments and vaccines.

C. By implementing widespread genetic testing.

D. By limiting international travel.

Q9. According to Michael Marks, what is necessary to better control the spread of mpox in Africa?

A. Developing new antiviral medications.

B. Isolating affected individuals.

C. A large supply of vaccines.

D. Conducting more research studies.

Q10. What did the WHO express concerning the funding needed to combat mpox?

A. They have sufficient funds for the next year.

B. They have already exceeded their funding goals for the year.

C. They are not seeking any additional funding currently.

D. They require an additional $15 million to start efforts.

Part II. TRANSCRIPT

WHO Calls for Donations after Declaring Mpox a ‘Health Emergency’

The World Health Organization is calling for donations to fight the latest outbreak of the viral disease mpox in Africa.

viral adj. 病毒的；由病毒引起的

The U.N. health agency declared mpox in Africa a “public health emergency of international concern” last week.

The director-general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, made the announcement after a meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee. (Q1) The move follows a declaration by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). That organization declared mpox a public health emergency in Africa one day earlier.

The WHO said there have been more than 14,000 cases and more than 524 deaths in Africa this year. So far, about 96 percent of all cases and deaths have taken place in one country: the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But the WHO and others are concerned that a new version of the viral disease could spread more easily among people.

The Associated Press recently reported some of the information known about the current mpox outbreak.

What is mpox?

Mpox is also known as monkeypox. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the viral disease was first identified by scientists in 1958 when outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease appeared in monkeys. Until recently, most human cases involved people in central and West Africa who had contact with infected animals.

In 2022, experts confirmed that the virus could be spread through sex. Outbreaks were reported in more than 70 countries that had not reported the disease before.

Mpox belongs to the same virus family as smallpox. It causes symptoms like high body temperature, chills and body pain. People with serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and sex organs.

lesion n. 损伤；损害

What is happening in Africa?

The number of cases has increased sharply in the last few weeks. (Q2) The Africa CDC said the disease has been identified in at least 13 African countries. Compared to the same period last year, the agency said cases have increased by 160 percent and deaths by 19 percent.

The version of mpox seen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could kill up to 10 percent of people infected. (Q3) Unlike earlier mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form of mpox causes less severe symptoms. This could make the disease harder to identify.

The WHO said mpox was recently reported for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. All of those cases were linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the Ivory Coast and South Africa, health officials have reported a less dangerous version of mpox than the one that spread in 2022.

The WHO’s declaration

(Q4) The WHO’s emergency declaration is meant to get donors to provide money for a campaign against the disease.

African CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya said the agency’s declaration of a public emergency was meant “to mobilize our institutions, our collective will and our resources.”

Michael Marks teaches medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He said, “It is clear that current control strategies aren’t working and there is a clear need for more resources.”

What is different from 2022?

Most of the cases during the 2022 outbreak of the viral disease were gay and bisexual men. The virus was spread through close contact and sex.

Although similar things are happening in Africa, (Q5) children under the age of 15 now make up more than 70 percent of mpox cases and 85 percent of deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

WHO chief Tedros said officials are dealing with several outbreaks and, what he called, “different modes of transmission and different levels of risk.”

Greg Ramm is with the aid group Save the Children. (Q6) He said his organization is worried about mpox spreading in crowded refugee camps. He said there were 345,000 children living in unhealthy conditions in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ramm added that the country’s health system is already “collapsing” because of malnutrition, measles and cholera.

refugee n. 难民；避难者

malnutrition n. 营养不良

measles n. 麻疹

Dr. Boghuma Titanji is an infectious disease expert at Emory University in the American state of Georgia. She said it is unclear why the disease is mostly affecting children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Q7) She said children might become infected more easily or social conditions like overcrowding or infected parents might explain the problem.

How might mpox be stopped

(Q8) The AP says in 2022, developed countries stopped the outbreak of mpox with treatments and vaccines. But few vaccines are available in Africa.

Marks said the immunization would likely help — including vaccination against the similar smallpox virus. (Q9) He said, “We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk.” He said that would mean vaccinating children, sex workers and adults in affected areas.

smallpox n. 天花

The WHO has already released $1.45 million of emergency money for mpox. (Q10) But the U.N. agency says $15 million is needed to start efforts to combat the disease.

Part III. KEY

Q1. C. 推理题。根据“The WHO said there have been more than 14,000 cases and more than 524 deaths in Africa this year.” 可知今年非洲已报告超过14,000例病例和超过524例死亡，由此可以推断，宣布这一紧急情况是由于非洲不同国家病例显著增加。因此答案为C。

Q2. A. 细节题。根据“The Africa CDC said the disease has been identified in at least 13 African countries.”可知已经至少13个非洲国家出现了疫情。因此答案为A。

Q3.B. 推理题。根据“Unlike earlier mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form of mpox causes less severe symptoms. This could make the disease harder to identify.”可知早期猴痘病变主要出现在胸部、手和脚上，但新型猴痘种类的症状较轻，使其更难以识别。因此答案为B。

Q4.D. 细节题。根据“The WHO’s emergency declaration is meant to get donors to provide money for a campaign against the disease...The Africa CDC said ... was meant ‘to mobilize our institutions, our collective will and our resources.’” 可知世卫组织的紧急声明和非洲疾控中心宣布公共紧急状况都是为了争取防疫资金和资源。因此答案为D。

Q5.B. 细节题。根据“children under the age of 15 now make up ... 85 percent of deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”可知在刚果，15岁以下儿童目前占死亡病例的85%。因此答案为B。

Q6.C .细节题。根据“He said his organization is worried about mpox spreading in crowded refugee camps.” 可知他担心猴痘在拥挤的难民营中传播。因此答案为C。

Q7. A. 细节题。根据“She said children might become infected more easily or social conditions like overcrowding or infected parents might explain the problem.” 可知Dr. Boghuma Titanji认为，儿童更容易感染，可能是因为过度拥挤等社会条件或父母感染造成的。因此答案为A。

Q8. B. 细节题。根据“The AP says in 2022, developed countries stopped the outbreak of mpox with treatments and vaccines.” 可知2022年发达国家通过治疗和疫苗阻止了猴痘的爆发。因此答案为B。

Q9. C. 细节题。根据“We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk.” 可知Michael Marks提到他们需要大量的疫苗供应，以便为高危人群接种。因此答案为C。

Q10. D. 细节题。根据“But the U.N. agency says $15 million is needed to start efforts to combat the disease.” 可知他们表示需要1500万美元来启动抗击这种疾病的工作。因此答案为D。

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