VOA常速英语2008年-Congo's Southeastern Cholera Epidemic Grows
时间：2019-02-06 作者：英语课 分类：VOA常速英语2008年（二月）
Dakar
14 February 2008
Aid workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are expressing concern that a cholera 1 epidemic 2 in the southeastern mining region is getting worse, despite attention to the problem. About 100 people have died since the outbreak began in September in a region experiencing a population boom. VOA's Nico Colombant reports from our West and Central Africa bureau in Dakar.
Francois Dumont from the Belgium chapter of Doctors without Borders says the overall number of cases in this cholera outbreak in Katanga province now tops 4,000.
The two hardest hit cities are the provincial 3 capital Lubumbashi and mineral-rich Likasi. The rural area of Bukama has also been affected 4.
Dumont says the number of new victims is still going up on a weekly basis.
"We noted 5 again an increase of the number of patients in both Lubumbashi and Likasi," he said. "That means we have not reached the epidemic peak yet so that is quite worrying. Even if now we are able to cope with a big number of patients, the increase in the number of patients in our treatment centers, we have to respond much more now on the causes of this outbreak, which are mainly access to water and hygiene 6 conditions."
Cholera is a waterborne disease, which causes sudden and serious diarrhea that can lead to death by severe dehydration 7 and kidney failure.
This cholera outbreak coincides with a population surge in Katanga, as post-war mining accelerates.
Dumont says poor residential 8 areas are especially dangerous.
"For example, in Likasi, it is the Kikula neighborhood and 90 percent more or less of the cases of cholera come from this neighborhood," he added. "This neighborhood is very poor. People live in extremely poor conditions."
Dumont explains cholera spreads mostly during the rainy season.
"They have little access to safe water," he noted. "People take water in water sewers 9 that are contaminated by the waste, by latrines, mainly because of the rainy season, so it is important now to provide safe water to these people."
If identified and there is access to treatment, cholera is easy to get rid of. The World Health Organization states on its website that the prompt administration of oral rehydration salts to replace lost fluids nearly always results in a cure.
Left untreated cholera can kill quickly, in as little as 24 hours. Aid workers have set up treatment centers in Lubumbashi, Likasi and Bukama, but fear the epidemic could spread to other cities and towns.
- The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
- Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。
- That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
- The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。
- City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
- Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。
- She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
- His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
- Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
- He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。
- He died from severe dehydration.他死于严重脱水。
- The eyes are often retracted from dehydration.眼睛常因脱水而凹陷。
- The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
- The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。