這種致命的新型冠狀病毒開始在美國蔓延

這種致命的新型冠狀病毒開始在美國蔓延

What started as a mystery virus last month in Wuhan, China, has now killed more than 250 people and infected thousands more around the world.

上個月，一種神秘病毒在中國武漢爆發(fā)，目前已經造成超過250人死亡，并在世界各地感染了數(shù)千人。

In the United States, seven people have been infected -- including patients in Washington state, Chicago, California and Arizona.

在美國，已有7人感染，包括華盛頓州、芝加哥、加利福尼亞州和亞利桑那州的患者。

Most of the patients had recently traveled to Wuhan. But on Thursday, officials announced the first person-to-person transmission of the virus within the US.

大多數(shù)患者最近都曾去過武漢。但在周四，官方宣布了該病毒在美國的首次人際傳播。

So what are officials doing to avert a massive outbreak in the US? And how can you minimize your risk of getting infected?

那么，官員們正在做什么來避免美國的大規(guī)模疫情爆發(fā)呢?如何將感染的風險降到最低?

What airports are doing

機場在做什么

At several US airports, passengers are being screened for symptoms such as fever, cough and trouble breathing, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

美國疾病控制與預防中心(簡稱CDC)表示，在美國的幾個機場，乘客正在接受發(fā)燒、咳嗽和呼吸困難等癥狀的檢查。

Those airports include John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. But these airport screenings might not catch everyone infected. That's because the incubation period can last a week -- meaning it can take a week after getting infected before showing any symptoms.

這些機場包括紐約肯尼迪國際機場、洛杉磯國際機場、舊金山國際機場、哈茨菲爾德-杰克遜亞特蘭大國際機場和芝加哥奧黑爾國際機場。但這些機場檢查可能不會發(fā)現(xiàn)所有受感染的人。這是因為潛伏期可以持續(xù)一個星期，也就是說，在感染病毒后可能需要一個星期才會出現(xiàn)任何癥狀。

At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, officials put up signs at the international arrivals area instructing travelers from Wuhan to watch for symptoms of the virus.

在西雅圖-塔科馬國際機場，官員們在國際到達區(qū)張貼告示，指示來自武漢的旅客注意病毒癥狀。

The CDC started displaying the signs in English and Chinese at the SeaTac airport January 14. one day before the first American patient of the Wuhan coronavirus passed through the airport.

美國疾病控制與預防中心1月14日開始在西雅圖機場展示中英文標識，一天后，武漢冠狀病毒的第一位美國患者通過機場。

What scientists are doing

科學家們在做什么

Across the US, scientists are trying to create a vaccine for the new virus. But don't expect it anytime soon.

在美國各地，科學家們正試圖制造一種針對這種新病毒的疫苗。但別指望很快就能實現(xiàn)。

The National Institutes of Health is working on one, but it will take at least a few months before clinical trials start and more than a year until a vaccine might actually become available.

美國國立衛(wèi)生研究院正在研制一種疫苗，但至少需要幾個月的時間才能開始臨床試驗，一年多的時間才能真正研制出疫苗。

Separately, scientists in Texas, New York and China are also trying to create on a vaccine, said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

另外，休斯敦貝勒醫(yī)學院的疫苗科學家彼得·霍特茲博士說，德克薩斯州、紐約和中國的科學家也在努力研制疫苗。

But the challenge is daunting.

但挑戰(zhàn)是艱巨的。

"The lesson we've learned is coronavirus infections are serious and one of the newest and biggest global health threats," Hotez said.

霍特茲說:“我們得到的教訓是，冠狀病毒感染是嚴重的，是最新和最大的全球健康威脅之一。”

What you can do yourself

你自己能做什么

Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness, such as coughing and sneezing, the World Health Organization says.

世界衛(wèi)生組織說，要避免與任何表現(xiàn)出呼吸道疾病癥狀的人密切接觸，比如咳嗽和打噴嚏。

Other symptoms of this coronavirus include fever and shortness of breath. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia, kidney failure and even death.

這種冠狀病毒的其他癥狀包括發(fā)燒和呼吸急促。嚴重的病例會導致肺炎、腎衰竭甚至死亡。

Scientists believe this coronavirus started in another animal and then spread to humans. So health officials recommend cooking meat and eggs thoroughly.

科學家認為這種冠狀病毒開始于另一種動物，然后傳播到人類。所以衛(wèi)生官員建議徹底煮熟肉和蛋。

Anyone with underlying medical conditions should avoid live animal markets and raw meats altogether, since those people are "considered at higher risk of severe disease," the World Health Organization says.

世界衛(wèi)生組織表示，任何有潛在健康問題的人都應該避免活禽市場和生肉市場，因為這些人“被認為有更高的嚴重疾病風險”。

What the US is doing

美國在做什么

The novel coronavirus is a public health emergency in the United States, said Alex Azar, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

美國衛(wèi)生與公眾服務部部長亞歷克斯·阿扎說，這種新型冠狀病毒是美國的一種突發(fā)公共衛(wèi)生事件。

Once the health emergency declaration goes into effect at 5 p.m. ET Sunday, US citizens returning to the United States who have been in China's Hubei province in the two weeks before their return will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine, officials said Friday.

官員們周五表示，一旦美國東部時間周日下午5點《衛(wèi)生緊急狀態(tài)宣言》生效，在回國前兩周曾在中國湖北省的美國公民將被強制隔離14天。

The development came a day after the State Department announced a highest-level warning urging citizens not to travel to China due to the outbreak.

在這一事態(tài)發(fā)展的前一天，美國國務院宣布了最高級別的警告，敦促公民由于疫情爆發(fā)而不要前往中國。