05-08-08

中國兒童病毒死亡人數達三十人 (Death Toll from Child Virus Hits 30 in China)

中國說，又有兩名兒童死於一種危險的腸道病毒，全國的死亡人數增加到30人。官方新華社今天(星期四)報導說，最新的兩名死於EV71病毒的兒童來自中國南部海南省。

這次疫情爆發嚴重影響中國東部的安徽省，阜陽市有22名兒童死亡。另外，廣東、浙江、廣西和湖南也有兒童死亡。

這種病毒導致嚴重的手口足病，引起高燒、癱瘓和病毒性腦炎。新華社星期三說，今年報告了將近2萬個手口足病例。

中國和世界衛生組織試圖打消民眾對這種病毒的恐懼心理，說明這並不是已知病毒的更厲害的變種。

China says two more children have died of a severe intestinal virus, raising the nation's death toll to 30. The state-run Xinhua news agency reports today (Thursday) that the latest victims of "enterovirus 71" died on the southern island province of Hainan.

The outbreak has gripped the eastern province of Anhui, where 22 children died in the city of Fuyang. Children also have died in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Guangxi and Hunan.

The virus causes a severe form of hand, foot and mouth disease that can lead to high fever, paralysis and viral meningitis. Xinhua said Wednesday that nearly 20-thousand cases of hand, foot and mouth disease have been reported this year.

China and the World Health Organization have tried to calm people's fears about the virus, saying it is not a more virulent strain than seen before.

達賴喇嘛代表稱與中國會談富有建設性 (Dalai Lama Representatives Say Talks with China Constructive)

達賴喇嘛的特使說，儘管雙方存在重大分歧，中國政府還是願意就西藏局勢舉行進一步會談。西藏流亡政府發言人圖騰桑波對美國之音說，雙方最近在中國南方城市深圳的會談中都提出了“具體的建議”。他表示，會談的氣氛與以往不同，並說中國政府代表看來願意解決中國治下的藏人所關心的問題。

圖騰桑波說，西藏流亡精神領袖達賴喇嘛的特使敦促中國釋放北京嚴厲鎮壓3月西藏反政府抗議活動以來被拘留的人，併為受傷的人提供醫療。

Envoys for the Dalai Lama say China is willing to hold further talks about the situation in Tibet, despite major differences between the two sides. A spokesman for the Tibet government-in-exile, Thubten Samphel, tells VOA that during the recent talks in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, each side made "concrete proposals." Samphel says the mood at the talks was different from previous meetings and notes that China's representatives appeared willing to address concerns of Tibetans living under Chinese rule.

He says envoys of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader urged China to release people who have been detained since Beijing's harsh crackdown on anti-government protests in Tibet in March, and provide medical treatment for those who were injured.