11-7-2005

世衛負責人示警：禽流感流行不可避免 (WHO Chief Warns Bird Flu Pandemic Inevitable)

世界衛生組織負責人表示， 禽流感在人類蔓延只是一個時間問題。世界衛生組織總幹事李鐘鬱在日內瓦的一個醫療專家會議上說，到目前為止，禽流感還沒有在人類中蔓延，但是一些跡象已經顯露出來。

有關官員表示，這個傳染病有可能導致數以百萬計的人喪生，並給全球經濟造成大約8千億美元的損失。

就目前狀況看，禽流感從禽鳥類向人類傳播還不多見。亞洲120位感染H5N1型病毒的人中，大多數和感染了禽流感的家禽及其糞便或者鼻腔裏的分泌物有過接觸。

但是，醫療官員擔心，病毒在禽鳥中傳播，增加了發生變異而在人類中間傳播的可能性，從而造成數百萬人死亡。

The chief of the World Health Organization says it is only a matter of time before avian flu infections in birds trigger a global pandemic of human influenza. WHO Director General Lee Jong-wook told a gathering of health experts in Geneva that, so far, a human pandemic has not begun -- but there are signs it is coming.

Officials say such a pandemic could kill millions of people and cost the global economy an estimated 800 billion dollars.

For now, bird to human flu transmissions are rare. Most of the some 120 reported H5N1 human flu victims in Asia had direct contact with infected birds, their feces or nasal secretions.

But health officials worry that as the virus spreads in birds, it increases the chance it could mutate into a form that passes easily among humans, killing millions.

中國稱下一輪六方會談舉行三天 (China Says Next Six-Party Talks with North Korea to Last 3 Days)

中國表示，下一輪北韓核問題六方會談將會持續3天。中國官方的新華社說，會談星期三將在北京釣魚臺國賓館開始，星期五結束。這是中國、北韓、南韓、美國、俄羅斯和日本舉行的第5輪會談。

所有各方都同意北韓應當放棄核項目，以換取能源援助和其他好處。不過，與會各方仍然有尖銳的分歧。

在9月舉行的上一輪會談後，平壤表示，它必須首先得到一座用於發電的民用輕水反應堆，否則不會放棄核武器。美國官員說，這種要求無法接受。

China says the next round of six-party talks on North Korean's nuclear program will last for three days.The official news agency, Xinhua, says the talks will begin Wednesday at the Diaoyu State Guest House in Beijing and last through Friday. This is the fifth round of talks involving China, the two Koreas, the United States, Russia and Japan.

All sides have agreed that North Korea would scrap its nuclear programs in exchange for energy assistance and other benefits. However, sharp differences among the parties remain.

After the previous round ended in September, Pyongyang said it will not disarm unless it is first given a civilian (light-water) nuclear reactor to generate electricity. U.S. officials said the demand is not acceptable.