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One of China's leading respiratory disease experts has called on authorities to step up prevention and treatment efforts for COVID-19 and influenza, warning that COVID infections remain at a high level across the country.我国著名呼吸疾病专家近日呼吁加强新冠与流感防控及诊疗工作，警示当前全国范围内新冠病毒感染仍处于较高流行水平。According to data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the COVID-19 positivity rate among outpatient and emergency influenza-like illness cases nationwide rose from 7.5 percent to 16.2 percent between March 31 and May 4. Among hospitalized cases, the positivity rate increased from 3.3 percent to 6.3 percent over the same period.中国疾病预防控制中心监测数据显示，3月31日至5月4日期间，全国流感样病例门诊/急诊新冠阳性率从7.5%攀升至16.2%，住院病例阳性率同期由3.3%增至6.3%。Zhong Nanshan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said individuals who test positive—especially seniors with underlying health conditions—should begin taking medication within the first 48 hours of symptom onset to prevent serious illness.中国工程院院士钟南山强调，新冠检测阳性者——尤其是有基础疾病的老年患者——应在症状出现48小时内启动药物治疗，以预防重症发生。"Although the current outbreak of COVID-19 can be controlled, it still poses risks for people over age 65 with preexisting conditions," Zhong said at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Guangzhou Science and Technology Week on Saturday.“当前新冠疫情虽整体可控，但65岁以上基础疾病患者仍面临风险。”钟南山院士周六在2025广州科技周启动仪式上表示。"Residents should remain calm," he added, predicting that the latest wave of infections would decline after June.他预测本轮疫情将于六月后逐步回落，并呼吁“民众应保持冷静”。钟院士同时透露，其科研团队正着力研发专门针对5岁以下儿童的新冠病毒抗体及治疗方案。Zhong also said his team is working to develop COVID-19 antibodies and treatments specifically for children under age 5.钟南山院士同时透露，其团队正致力于研发专门针对5岁以下儿童的新冠抗体及治疗方案。"Research on COVID-19 drugs for this age group remains limited, and there's a lack of safety data," he said. "It is not scientifically sound to assume that drugs approved for older children are also suitable for those as young as 1."“针对该年龄段的药物研究仍存在空白，安全性数据尤为匮乏。简单套用大龄儿童获批药物的做法，对于小至1岁的幼儿而言缺乏科学依据。”He urged health authorities to prioritize prevention and treatment for both COVID-19 and influenza, and encouraged older adults to seek prompt care when symptoms arise.他敦促卫生部门强化新冠与流感的联防联控机制，建议老年群体出现症状后应及时就医。"Choosing the right medication is also important," he said, noting that two new influenza drugs have recently been launched in China.“选择合适的药物同样关键。”钟院士特别指出，国内近期已有两款新型流感药物上市。"China is not lagging behind foreign countries in developing influenza treatments and vaccines," Zhong added.“我国在流感治疗药物与疫苗研发领域已达到国际先进水平。”Li Tongzeng, chief physician at the infectious disease department of Beijing YouAn Hospital, said the proportion of severe COVID-19 cases has remained low over the past two to three years.北京佑安医院感染综合科主任医师李侗曾表示，过去两三年间新冠重症率持续处于低位。"Most patients recover on their own within a week," he said, though immunocompromised individuals, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses remain at risk of serious complications.“多数患者一周内可自行康复，但免疫功能低下者、老年群体及慢性病患者仍需警惕重症风险。”No new symptoms have been identified recently, Li said. Fever, sore throat, cough and muscle aches remain the most common, while a small number of patients may experience a loss of taste or smell.他指出，近期未发现新的临床症状，发热、咽痛、咳嗽及肌痛仍为主要症状，少数患者可能出现味觉或嗅觉异常。Like the influenza virus, he said, COVID-19 continues to mutate.李侗曾强调，与流感病毒类似，新冠病毒仍在持续变异。"The greater the difference between the original strain and the current circulating variant, the less protection the body's antibodies can provide," Li said.他表示：“当前流行变异株与原始毒株的基因差异越大，人体抗体提供的免疫保护效力就越有限。”He noted that new variants are gradually replacing older ones, and population immunity wanes over time, contributing to several sporadic outbreaks this year.他解释称，新型变异株正逐步取代旧有病毒株，加之群体免疫水平随时间推移逐步衰减，共同导致了今年多轮散发疫情的出现。"This suggests that, compared with seasonal or climate factors, the spread of COVID-19 may depend more on how the virus evolves and the level of immunity in the population," he said.“这说明相较于季节性或气候因素，新冠疫情传播态势更取决于病毒进化方向及人群免疫屏障的强弱程度。”李侗曾认为，这一演变特征提示疫情防控需建立更动态化的应对机制。 respiratory disease呼吸道疾病influenza/ˌɪnfluˈenzə/n. 流感; 流行性感冒mutate/mjuːˈteɪt/v. 变异; (使)突变variant/ˈveəriənt/n. 变种; 变体vaccines/ˈvæksiːnz/n. 疫苗

China is experiencing a relatively high rate of influenza, though it is lower than the same period last year and is expected to decrease, according to the National Health Commission on Sunday. Vaccines and treatments remain effective, the commission added.1月12日，国家卫生健康委表示，中国近期处于流感相对高发期，但相较于去年同期已有所下降，且预计将继续降低。卫健委还补充说，疫苗和治疗对当前流感仍然有效。"The main cause of the recent increase in acute respiratory infection visits to medical institutions is influenza, as shown by monitoring results," said Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, during a news conference held by the health commission.国家卫生健康委新闻发布会上，中国疾控中心研究员王丽萍表示：“监测结果显示，流感是近期医疗机构急性呼吸道感染患者就诊量上升的主要原因。”"With the imminent closure of primary and middle schools (for the upcoming holiday), influenza activity is expected to decline in the middle and latter part of the month," Wang said.王丽萍说：“随着各地中小学（因即将到来的假期）临近停课，预计本月中下旬流感活动水平将有所下降。”Although various respiratory infections alternate or overlap in prevalence, all the current pathogens are known, including human metapneumovirus, which has existed for decades. No new infectious diseases have been identified, the researcher added.尽管当前呈现多种呼吸道传染病交替或叠加流行态势，但均是已知病原体，包括已存在数十年的人偏肺病毒。研究员还补充道，未出现新发传染病。The current dominant strain of influenza is the H1N1 subtype. Antigenic analysis of this strain indicates a good match with this year's influenza vaccine, confirming the effectiveness of vaccination, according to Wang.当前流行的优势株是甲型H1N1亚型。王丽萍表示，对该毒株的抗原性分析显示其与今年流感疫苗株匹配度良好，表明疫苗接种有效。Wang recommended that everyone over 6 months old without vaccine contraindications, such as allergies to vaccine components, receive an annual flu vaccine. For those who have not yet received this year's flu shot, it remains beneficial to get it. The vaccine provides protection throughout the flu season, reduces the risk of infection, lessens the severity of illness if infected and decreases the likelihood of complications.王丽萍建议，所有6月龄以上的人群，没有疫苗接种禁忌（如对疫苗成分过敏），应每年接种流感疫苗。对于今年尚未接种流感疫苗的人来说，现在接种仍然有益。疫苗在整个流感季都具有保护作用，降低感染流感病毒的风险，减轻感染发病后症状的严重程度，减少并发症的发生。Current analyses show that the prevalent influenza virus is sensitive to antiviral medications, indicating that drug treatments are effective.当前分析显示，目前流行的流感病毒对抗病毒药物敏感，表明药物治疗有效。Most people typically recover from influenza within one to two weeks. However, individuals experiencing symptoms such as high fever, severe cough, difficulty breathing, altered mental state or severe vomiting and diarrhea should seek immediate medical attention, Wang emphasized.大多数流感患者通常1到2周可以康复。然而，王丽萍强调，如果出现高热、剧烈咳嗽、呼吸困难、神志改变、严重呕吐和腹泻等症状应立即就医。Xu Baoping, chief physician at Beijing Children's Hospital, advised that children with a fever but who are otherwise in good spirits and eating and sleeping normally can be observed and treated at home. However, if high fever persists along with lethargy, rapid or labored breathing, severe vomiting or convulsions, parents should consult a doctor promptly.北京儿童医院主任医师徐保平建议，如果儿童发热但精神状态良好，进食和睡眠正常，可以在家中观察和治疗。然而，如果儿童出现高热不退，并伴有嗜睡、呼吸急促或困难、严重呕吐或抽搐，家长应立即带其就医。With the upcoming 2025 Spring Festival travel rush and expected gatherings, travelers should prepare masks, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers, Wang said. Elderly individuals and those with chronic illnesses are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19, influenza and pneumococcal disease.王丽萍表示，随着2025年春节出行高峰的临近以及聚集性活动的增多，旅客应备好口罩、消毒湿巾、免洗手消毒液。建议老年人、慢性病患者积极接种新冠、流感、肺炎球菌疫苗。During travel, wear masks correctly, avoid touching your face and sanitize your hands after touching public facilities. Upon arrival, change clothes and wash your hands and face immediately. If respiratory symptoms develop, stay home and avoid group activities, Wang advised.王丽萍建议，旅途中，应正确佩戴口罩，避免用手触摸面部，接触公共设施后要消毒双手；抵达目的地后，应立即更换衣物并洗手、清洗面部。如果出现呼吸道感染症状，应居家休息，避免参加聚集性活动。respiratoryadj.呼吸的alternatev.轮流，交替lethargyn.没精打采，懒散

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs has noted the media reports of the increased respiratory viruses circulating in China that have led to overwhelmed hospital systems and crematories. The respiratory cases reported are due to Influenza A, Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Mycoplasma pneumonia and COVID-19. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has not submitted official reports to date. The Caribbean region and Saint Lucia are presently in the typical flu season with notable increases in respiratory illnesses among the population. We are also experiencing peak travel and visitor influx. We note increases in Influenza A, cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID19 variants. The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation and focused on strengthening national capacity and response for the potential respiratory pandemic by increasing the disease surveillance system and local capacity to detect and manage cases. Testing for HMPV is presently available through the Caribbean Public Health Agency Medical Microbiology Laboratory (CMML). Read more: https://www.govt.lc/news/ministry-of-health-monitors-global-respiratory-virus-trends

A nationwide mental health support hotline will soon be available across China, aiming to address the growing prevalence of psychological issues, the National Health Commission announced on Wednesday.12月25日，国家卫生健康委宣布，中国将开通全国心理健康援助热线，以应对日益增多的心理问题。The hotline number—12356—is expected to be operational around New Year's Day on Jan 1 or this year's Spring Festival on Jan 29 and will be accessible nationwide starting May 1, according to the commission.据国家卫生健康委介绍，该热线号码为“12356”，预计将于2025年元旦（1月1日）或春节（1月29日）前后投入运行，并将于2025年5月1日起在全国范围内开通。Each city-level region is required to establish at least one hotline, which must be staffed by at least two operators for a minimum of 18 hours daily.各市级地区需至少开通一条心理援助热线，并确保每天至少有2名接线员值守，每日提供不少于18小时的心理援助服务。Through the hotline, operators will provide mental health education, psychological counseling and support, as well as respond to urgent mental health needs. Efforts are also underway to integrate the mental health hotline with the country's emergency hotlines for police, fire and medical aid services.通过这条热线，接线员将提供心理健康教育、心理咨询和支持，并应对紧急心理健康需求。此外，有关心理健康热线与国家警察、消防和医疗急救等紧急服务热线相整合的工作也在积极推进中。The initiative is part of a national campaign to tackle increasing mental health challenges by offering reliable and convenient mental health services.该举措是一项全国性行动的部分内容，该行动旨在通过提供可靠便捷的心理健康服务来应对日益严峻的心理健康挑战。Xing Ruoqi, deputy director of the commission's department of medical administration, stated at a news conference that a growing number of Chinese citizens are grappling with mental health pressures due to rapid economic growth, urbanization, industrialization and the challenges of an aging population.国家卫生健康委医政司副司长邢若齐在新闻发布会上表示，随着经济的快速增长、城市化工业化的推进和人口老龄化带来的挑战，越来越多的中国公民正面临心理健康压力。In 2021, the rate of moderate to severe depression in China was 8.3 percent, according to a study by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Among teenagers, the rate of depression stood at around 2 percent, health experts said.中国疾病预防控制中心的一项研究显示，2021年中国中重度抑郁症患病率为8.3%。健康专家表示，中国青少年抑郁症患病率为2%左右。To address the growing demand for mental health services, China has expanded psychiatric hospitals and psychiatry departments in general hospitals, increased the training of psychiatric physicians, enhanced mental health service capacities at medical institutions, and developed standardized diagnosis and treatment guidelines, Xing said.邢若齐指出，为满足日益增长的心理健康服务需求，中国已扩大了精神专科医院和综合医院精神科的建设，加大了精神科医师的培训力度，提升了医疗机构的心理健康服务能力，并制定了规范化的诊疗指南。The nation also launched a pilot program in 2018 to establish a comprehensive network of mental health services covering neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and medical institutions.2018年，中国还启动了一项试点项目，旨在建立一个覆盖社区、学校、工作场所和医疗机构的心理健康服务综合网络。"In addition, the commission has engaged experts to educate the public about mental health through various awareness campaigns," Xing added.“此外，国家卫生健康委还组织专家通过各种宣传活动向公众普及心理健康知识，”邢若齐补充道。With the establishment of the hotline, the public can dial the five-digit number to seek information about mental health or receive support during emotional distress.随着热线的建立，公众可以拨打这个五位数的号码来查询心理健康信息或在情绪困扰时寻求支持。"Local authorities are required to scale up capacities based on call volumes," Xing said.“地方当局要根据电话呼入量采取扩容措施，”邢若齐说。The commission also plans to expand mental health services further by encouraging hospitals to open psychological consultation clinics and setting up more mental health service centers. Medical professionals specializing in physical illnesses will receive training to better identify mental health issues and conduct early interventions.国家卫生健康委还计划鼓励医院开设心理咨询门诊、设立更多心理健康服务中心，进一步扩大心理健康服务供给。专门治疗躯体疾病的医务人员也将接受培训，以提高心理健康问题的识别和早期干预能力。More awareness campaigns will also be rolled out in schools, communities and workplaces, Xing noted.邢若齐表示，将在学校、社区和工作场所推出更多宣传活动。prevalencen.流行，盛行pilotadj.试验性的，试点的

Since the start of this year, the number of visits to fever clinics across China has fluctuated but has overall trended downward, the nation's health authority said on Sunday.中国卫生部门周日表示，今年以来，全国发热门诊就诊人数虽有波动，但总体呈下降趋势。Medical services are being provided in a stable and well-organized way. Currently, among respiratory diseases, influenza remains predominant, while the infection levels of the novel coronavirus are at a relatively low level, said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission. , Mi said.国家卫健委新闻发言人米锋表示，医疗服务供给平稳有序。目前，呼吸道疾病中，流感仍占主导地位，新型冠状病毒感染水平仍处于较低水平。"As the Spring Festival holiday approaches, the potential for large-scale population movement and gatherings poses an increased risk of respiratory disease transmission," he said. He called for effective monitoring, early warning systems and better management at key locations.他说：“随着春节假期的临近，大规模人口流动和聚集可能会增加呼吸道疾病传播的风险”。呼吁在关键地点建立有效的监测、预警系统和更好的管理。Timely health consultations and guidance will be provided to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, pregnant women, children and those with chronic existing health conditions. Convenient access to vaccines will also be ensured for these populations, he said.他说，将为老年人、孕妇、儿童和慢性病患者等弱势群体提供及时的健康咨询和指导,并确保这些人群能够方便地获得疫苗。Over the past few weeks, the influenza B virus surpassed the influenza A virus in prevalence in some regions, so individuals at high risk should consider getting vaccinated, said Wang Dayan, director of the Chinese National Influenza Center at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at the news conference.中国疾病预防控制中心国家流感中心主任王大燕在新闻发布会上表示，过去几周，部分地区乙型流感病毒流行率超过甲型流感病毒，高危人群应考虑接种疫苗。She said that southern provinces entered the flu season in early October, followed by northern provinces later in the month. Over the past five weeks, northern provinces have seen the influenza B virus surge to 57.7 percent of all the infected cases, while southern provinces recorded a 36.8 percent increase over the past three weeks,.王大燕说，南方省份于10月初进入流感季节，北方省份随后于本月晚些时候进入流感季节。过去五周，北方省份的乙型流感病毒病例激增至所有感染病例的57.7%，而南方省份过去三周的增幅为36.8%。Distinguishing between influenza A and B viruses is challenging based solely on clinical symptoms. To identify the virus type, nucleic acid and antigen detection are necessary. It's crucial to note that immunity developed after contracting one type of influenza virus does not protect against others, and vaccination is necessary, she said.她还表示，仅根据临床症状来区分甲型和乙型流感病毒具有挑战性，要确定病毒类型，需要进行核酸和抗原检测。重要的是要注意，感染一种流感病毒后产生的免疫力并不能预防其他流感病毒，因此有必要接种疫苗。Meanwhile, China's COVID-19 situation has remained at a low level since New Year's Day. Various monitoring systems indicated that the positivity rate for COVID-19 testing in specific hospitals is below 1 percent. The JN.1 variant of the coronavirus, known for its rapid global spread, is on the rise, Wang said.与此同时，王大燕说，自元旦以来，中国的新冠疫情感染一直保持在较低水平。各种监测系统表明，特定医院的COVID-19检测阳性率低于1%，以在全球快速传播而闻名的冠状病毒JN.1变种正在上升。In the short term, the dominant factor is expected to be the influenza virus. Factors such as the influx of the JN.1 variant and a decline in population immunity could contribute to a potential resurgence of COVID-19 infections this month, she said.她说，短期来看，预计流感病毒将是主导因素。JN.1 变种涌入，人群免疫力下降，众多因素都可能导致本月新冠感染卷土重来。Immunity英 /ɪˈmjuː.nə.ti/ 美/ɪˈmjuː.nə.ti/n. 免疫力Influenza 英 /ˌɪn.fluˈen.zə/ 美/ˌɪn.fluˈen.zə/n. 流感

China's medical regulators recently approved two foreign drugs, bringing new hope to patients with Alzheimer's disease and groups at risk for HIV/AIDS.中国医疗监管机构最近批准了两种外国药物，为阿尔茨海默病患者和艾滋病高危人群带来了新的希望。The National Medical Products Administration announced last week that it had granted market approval for the injected drug Leqembi, developed by Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company Eisai, to treat minor dementia and cognitive dysfunction triggered by Alzheimer's.美国国家医疗产品管理局上周宣布，已批准注射药物Leqembi上市，该药物由制药公司卫材(Eisai)开发，用于治疗阿尔茨海默氏症引发的轻微痴呆和认知功能障碍，该公司总部位于东京。The Economic Observer, a Beijing-based news outlet, reported that China is the third country to approve the drug, after the United States in July and Japan in September. The drug targets amyloid betaprotein, widely believed to be associated with neurotoxicity and Alzheimer's.总部位于北京的新闻媒体《经济观察报》报道称，继美国7月和日本9月批准该药物后，中国是第三个批准该药物的国家。该药物针对的是淀粉样β蛋白，人们普遍认为该蛋白与神经毒性和阿尔茨海默病有关。The pharmaceutical company added that current drugs on the market only target symptoms and have a hard time dealing with the root cause. During a global clinical trial, taking the drug was shown to reverse the progression for about 60 percent of early-stage patients and help them improve cognitive impairments, the company said.该制药公司补充说，目前市场上的药物只能针对症状，很难解决根本原因。该公司表示，在一项全球临床试验中，服用该药物可以逆转约60%的早期患者的病情进展，并帮助他们改善认知障碍。Eisai set the price at 2,508 yuan ($350) per 2-milliliter dose, or about 180,000 yuan annually for a patient weighing 60 kilograms.卫材将价格定为每2毫升剂量2,508元，对于体重60公斤的患者来说，每年费用约为18万元。According to the Economic Observer, the drug was priced at 3,328 yuan per dose during a trial in Boao Hope City, a pilot medical zone in Hainan province, which allows drugs approved elsewhere to be used for real-world clinical trials in China. The first batch of 200 doses has been used up, the report said.据经济观察报报道，该药在海南省医疗试点博鳌希望城进行试验时的售价为每剂3328元，允许在其他地方批准的药物在中国进行真实临床试验。报道称，第一批200剂已经用完。China has 9.83 million people with Alzheimer's, and the disease is the fifth-largest cause of death in the country, according to an annual report on the disease released last year. Meanwhile, the diagnosis and treatment rate is low, and awareness among the general public is inefficient, the report said.根据去年发布的阿尔茨海默病年度报告，中国有983万阿尔茨海默病患者，该病是中国第五大死亡原因。并且诊疗率低，公众了解度有限。Separately, Descovy, a tablet developed by US-based pharmaceutical company Gilead, has been approved by the NMPA for pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, to lower the risk of HIV infection due to high-risk sexual activities. Previously, the drug had been approved to treat HIV infections in adults.另外，美国吉利德制药公司开发的片剂Descovy已获得国家药监局批准用于暴露前预防（PrEP），以降低因高危性活动而感染艾滋病毒的风险。此前，该药物已被批准用于治疗成人艾滋病毒感染。The NMPA said that clinical trials showed that Descovy had effectiveness as a PrEP drug no worse than Truvada, the first PrEP drug approved in China, and that it displayed very low side effects.国家药监局表示，临床试验表明，德可维作为PrEP药物的有效性并不比中国首个获批的PrEP药物Truvada差，而且副作用非常低。"Groups with a high risk of HIV exposure can take this drug regularly to help maintain a certain density of the drug in the blood to prevent HIV infections," said Wang Hui, chief expert of the HIV/AIDS center at Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, adding that the drug offers a new choice for those involved in high-risk sexual activities, such as those engaging in unprotected homosexual sex, sex with unfixed partners, or prostitution.深圳市第三人民医院艾滋病中心首席专家王辉表示，艾滋病暴露高风险人群可以定期服用这种药物，帮助维持血液中一定的药物浓度，预防艾滋病毒感染。该药物为那些从事高风险性活动的人提供了新的选择，例如进行无保护措施的同性恋群体以及与不固定伴侣发生性行为或卖淫的人。Sexual activity is a major means of HIV transmission among adults. As of late 2022, China has 1.2 million people living with HIV, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.性活动是成人中艾滋病毒传播的主要途径。根据中国疾病预防控制中心的数据，截至2022年底，中国有120万艾滋病毒感染者。The World Health Organization said oral PrEP is highly effective in preventing HIV when used as directed, and recommends people at substantial risk of HIV infection be offered PrEP drugs as an additional choice as part of comprehensive prevention.世界卫生组织表示，按照指示口服PrEP对预防HIV非常有效，并建议向HIV感染高风险人群提供PrEP药物，以助力全面预防艾滋病。However, awareness and prevalence of PrEP in China are relatively low compared with developed countries. Based on a study published in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology in 2020, only 56 percent of some 600 interviewed men who have sex with men said they were aware of the method, and just 10.6 percent said they were absolutely willing to use it.但与发达国家相比，我国PrEP的知晓率和普及率较低。根据2020年《中国流行病学杂志》发表的一项研究，在约600名接受采访的男男性接触者中，只有56%的人表示他们知道这种方法，只有10.6%的人表示他们非常愿意使用这种方法预防感染艾滋病。Alzheimer英/ˈɔltsˌhɑɪ·mərz / 美/ˈɔltsˌhɑɪ·mərz /n. 阿兹海默症homosexual sex同性恋性行为

he emerging COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 has been detected on the Chinese mainland and will likely become the dominant strain in the future, but it does not pose a substantial risk to public health, experts said on Sunday.JN.1, which is of the same lineage as the Omicron subvariant BA.2.86, is the latest strain to catch the attention of global health experts. It has spread to at least 40 countries and regions and accounts for 30 percent of currently circulating variants, up from 4 percent in early November, according to the National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control.China reported the first JN.1 domestic case in November, and as of Tuesday, seven domestic infections had been detected.However, the administration said that currently, the dominant strain is EG.5 and its sublineages."The prevalence of JN.1 now is extremely low, but under the influence of international circulation of the emerging strain and imported cases, the possibility of JN.1 becoming the dominant strain on the mainland cannot be ruled out," the administration added.Chang Zhaorui, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the ratio of cases with BA.2.86 — which includes JN.1 — among total infections is very low, but has been rising fast since last month, which is in line with the global trend.China has reported a total of 160 BA.2.86 infections since August, but no severe cases have been reported, Chang said at a news conference in Beijing on Sunday."The World Health Organization has determined that its risk of causing severe symptoms is low and its public health risk is low," she said, adding that experts in China have also said the variant poses a relatively low risk to public health."So far, China has found no unknown or novel pathogens and bacterium of respiratory illness," she added.The virus that causes the COVID-19 disease is among several pathogens that experts said have contributed to a surge in respiratory illnesses in China this winter.Mi Feng, a spokesman for the National Health Commission, said that the number of hospital visits with respiratory illnesses nationwide has been declining in recent days, as a result of efforts made in increasing fever clinics and hospital beds, as well as mobilizing grassroots and traditional Chinese medicine facilities to handle more patients."Fever clinics at grassroots medical institutions have handled 44 percent of total fever clinic visits nationwide," he said.Mi also suggested that the public wear masks, take personal protective measures and get vaccinated to prevent influenza and other respiratory diseases.Chang, the China CDC researcher, advised changing masks after visiting hospitals or coming in close contact with anyone suffering from respiratory illnesses.Though some people wear cotton masks to weather the winter chill, Chang said that such masks cannot protect against respiratory pathogens. People are also being advised not to wear multiple masks.Reporter: Wang Xiaoyu

The number of children with respiratory illness visiting hospital pediatric departments is trending downward in China, health officials said on Sunday, adding that a recent nationwide surge in respiratory disease cases had not disrupted normal healthcare services.12月10日，国家卫健委表示，我国呼吸系统疾病儿童的儿科就诊数量呈下降趋势，并补充说，最近全国范围内呼吸系统疾病病例的激增并没有扰乱正常的医疗服务秩序。China has experienced a surge in respiratory disease this winter, driven by co-circulation of multiple pathogens. Young children have been hit hard, stretching the capacities of pediatric facilities in some regions.今年冬天，多种病原体流行感染，中国呼吸道疾病病例激增。幼儿受到的影响最为严重，一些地区的儿科门诊爆满。Mi Feng, a spokesman for the National Health Commission, told a news conference that the number of visits to large hospitals by child patients with respiratory illness is gradually falling.国家卫健委新闻发言人米锋在新闻发布会上介绍，儿童呼吸道疾病诊疗量整体呈现波动下降趋势。"The increase in visits to pediatric hospitals and pediatric departments at general hospitals has also slowed down," he said.他表示：“部分大型儿童专科医院和综合医院儿科诊疗量增加的情况得到一定缓解。”Mi said the overall volume of hospital visits by people with respiratory illness is at a stable level nationwide, thanks to efforts to channel mild cases to grassroots medical facilities, add capacity at pediatric and fever clinics and extend their operation hours.米锋表示，由于将轻症病例分流至基层医疗机构，并增加儿科和发热门诊的容量，延长门诊时间，全国呼吸系统疾病就诊量总体处于稳定水平。"Normal medical services across the country are not affected," he said.他说：“全国整体正常医疗服务没有受到影响。”Mi said continuous efforts will be made to facilitate partnerships and the transfer of patients between general hospitals and community clinics, and guide patients to seek medical services that fit the severity of their condition.米说，将不断促进综合医院与社区诊所之间的合作和患者转移，并引导患者寻求符合病情的医疗服务。"Middle and primary schools, nursery care and elderly care homes, social welfare facilities and venues seeing large flows of people should implement ventilation and sanitation work, strengthen health monitoring and urge people to take personal protective measures to reduce the risk of infection," Mi said.“中小学、幼儿园和养老院、社会福利机构和人流较大的封闭场所应定期通风换气，加强健康监测，并敦促个人采取个人措施，降低感染风险，”米锋说。Health experts have said that pathogens spreading this winter include the virus that causes COVID-19, influenza, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and respiratory syncytial virus.卫健委专家表示，今年冬天传播的病原体包括导致新冠肺炎、流感、肺炎支原体和呼吸道合胞病毒的病原体。Xia Gang, an official at the National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control, said some local governments had initiated flu vaccination services as early as July, ahead of the peak flu season.国家疾控局卫生免疫司司长夏刚介绍，从7月份开始，各地接种单位就已经陆续启动了流感疫苗接种服务，早于流感流行季。"This year's flu vaccine supplies have grown significantly compared to last year and are sufficient to meet demands," he said, adding that the elderly are particularly susceptible to progressing to severe flu cases and should be prioritized for vaccination.“今年流感疫苗生产供应量比去年有了明显增加，可以满足群众需求，”他说，并指出，老年人感染流感病毒之后特别容易发展为重症病例，应优先接种疫苗。Peng Zhibin, an official from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said flu vaccination campaigns should also be stepped up among students and staff members on campuses.中国疾控中心传染病管理处呼吸道传染病室主任彭质斌认为，还应加强在校学生和教职员工的流感疫苗接种。"Students, teachers and other staff members should not continue going to class after falling sick, so as to prevent them from infecting others," she added.“学生、教师和其他工作人员在生病后不应带病上课，以免感染他人，”她补充说。Peng also suggested that members of the public should wear masks when taking public transport.彭质斌还建议市民在乘坐公共交通工具时佩戴口罩。A guideline on wearing masks released by the administration on Saturday said infected people and visitors and staff members at hospitals, nursery care and elderly care facilities should wear them.根据周六发布的一份口罩佩戴指南，医院、幼儿园和老年护理机构的感染者，访客和工作人员应佩戴口罩。Mycoplasma pneumonian. 支原体肺炎

China's top health authority on Monday required localities to "exhaust all means" to increase pediatric service capacity and stock up on pediatric medications and relevant medical materials to cope with a spike in respiratory illnesses among children.周一，国家卫健委要求各地“竭尽所能”提高儿科服务能力，并储备儿科药物和相关医疗材料，以应对儿童呼吸疾病激增的情况。All grassroots medical institutions should be open to child patients and are forbidden from turning them away, the general office of the National Health Commission said in a circular released on its website.国家卫健委总办公室在其网站发布的通知中表示，所有基层医疗机构应面向儿童患者开放，不得拒诊。"Community healthcare centers in cities seeing surging demand should also extend hours on weekdays by one to three hours or set up additional service periods on weekends based on their capability," said the commission.“在需求激增的城市社区卫生中心，根据医院容纳患者能力，还应在工作日延长一至三小时或在周末增设额外的门诊时段，” 卫健委表示。Rural and community health centers should be guided to set up separate sections for pediatric services, and they should organize general physicians who have received training on pediatric diseases to see child patients.农村和社区卫生中心应设立专门的儿科服务区，并引导经过儿科疾病培训的全科医生为儿童患者提供门诊服务。Each community or village healthcare center should be paired with a pediatric department at a higher-level hospital. Experienced medical professionals will be allocated to grassroots facilities to provide pediatric services and train staff on key skills, including emergency care, prompt identification of severe symptoms and venipuncture — the process of inserting a needle into a child's vein.每个社区或村庄的卫生中心应与更高级别医院的儿科部门配对。将经验丰富的医疗专业人员分散到基层医疗机构，提供儿科服务并培训医务工作者的关键技能，包括急救护理、及时识别严重症状的能力，以及静脉注射——即对儿童进行静脉扎针的能力。Localities are also required to equip grassroots facilities with thermometers, nebulizers, antibiotics, antivirals, as well as pediatric medicines for easing cough and phlegm.各地还需为基层卫生设施配备体温计、雾化器、抗生素、抗病毒药物，以及止咳化痰的儿科药物。These requirements have been raised as China is battling a surge in respiratory illness fueled by the circulation of different pathogens including influenza, the COVID-19 disease and mycoplasma pneumoniae.由于我国呼吸道疾病激增，包括流感、新冠疫情和支原体肺炎等不同病原体的传播，因此国家卫健委提出了这些要求。Children have appeared to be affected particularly hard this winter as parents have found difficulties obtaining hospital appointments or have to endure long waiting periods at major pediatric hospitals. Despite authorities' appeal to the public to visit primary health institutions first rather than going straight to large hospitals, concerns have emerged over the community clinics' capability and capacity in handling pediatric patients.今年冬季，儿童受到的影响似乎尤为严重，因为父母难以预约门诊，或不得不忍受较长的重点儿科医院等待时间。尽管政府呼吁公众优先于基层卫生机构就诊，而非直接前往大型医院，但人们对社区诊所吸纳儿科患者的能力和容量有所担忧。Wang Huaqing, chief immunization planning expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said late last month that influenza and rhinovirus are the most prevalent among toddlers aged 1 to 4, and for children aged 5 to 14, influenza, mycoplasma pneumonia and adenovirus are the most common.中国疾病预防控制中心的首席免疫规划专家王华清11月底表示，1到4岁的幼儿中，流感和鼻病毒最为普遍，而5到14岁的儿童中，流感、支原体肺炎和腺病毒最为常见。Tong Zhaohui, vice-president of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, suggested a child who begins developing a fever to visit a community hospital to first take a rapid antigen test, which can identify whether they contracted a respiratory virus or a bacterial infection like mycoplasma pneumonia. They can also get regular antivirals and drugs there.首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院副院长童朝晖建议，开始发烧的孩子首先应该去社区医院进行快速抗原测试，以确定他们是否感染了呼吸疾病病毒或类似支原体肺炎的细菌感染。他们还可以在社区医院获得常规的抗病毒药物和药物。"However, for kids who have had a fever for more than three days or have shortness of breath, they should visit pediatric hospitals," he said during an interview with China Central Television on Sunday evening.“但是，发烧超过三天或呼吸急促的患儿应该去儿科医院，”上周日晚间，他在接受中国中央电视台采访时表示。Tong added that most doctors at primary health institutions are trained in general medicine and are capable of dealing with common respiratory illnesses in children.童朝晖补充说，大多数基层卫生机构的医生都接受了全科医学培训，能够处理儿童常见的呼吸道疾病。"It is important for them to access prompt treatment at medical facilities nearby, and in this way, parents and kids can save the trouble of lining up at large hospitals, where the risk of cross-infections is higher," he said.“对患者来说，及时在附近的医疗机构接受治疗非常重要，这样父母和孩子就能避免在大型医院排队等候，在大型医院，交叉感染的风险更高，”他说。The commission also said in the newly released notice that grassroots medical facilities should play a role in meeting demands for pediatric services, easing pressure on major hospitals seeing large volume of visitors, as well as monitoring health conditions of and expanding vaccination among key populations.卫健委还在新发布的通知中表示，基层医疗机构应在满足儿科服务需求、减轻大型医院患者压力，以及监测和扩大关键人群的疫苗接种方面发挥作用。According to the document, fever clinics at grassroots clinics should also keep surveillance of the situation of respiratory disease and report data to higher authorities swiftly.根据该通知，基层诊所的发热门诊还应对呼吸系统疾病的情况进行监测，并迅速向上级报告数据。Pediatric medicationsn.儿科药物The National Health Commissionn.国家卫健委

Health authorities in China said on Friday that no unknown pathogens have been detected amid a recent surge in infectious respiratory illnesses and that they have already held a meeting with the World Health Organization on the recent domestic epidemic situation.Hu Qiangqiang, a spokesman for the National Health Commission, said that all respiratory cases cataloged in China's monitoring system and reported by hospitals are caused by known pathogens.China has registered an increase in seasonal respiratory diseases since mid-October, fueled by the simultaneous circulation of influenza viruses, mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria, the respiratory syncytial virus and adenoviruses, among other pathogens.Children are among the worst affected this winter, with pediatric hospitals saying they are handling a record number of patients and waiting time in the outpatient department is often more than three hours.Hu said the health commission held a videoconference on Thursday about infectious respiratory cases with WHO officials, which was also attended by experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Children's Health.During the conference, Chinese experts briefed all the attendees on the recent outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China and the country's efforts in monitoring pathogens, diagnosing diseases and prescribing treatment as well as offering health advisories, according to a statement released by the commission.China and the WHO also communicated on epidemiology, pathology and clinical symptoms of infectious respiratory illnesses, and said they plan to keep exchanging information.To deal with the surging number of patients, Hu said the commission has instructed localities to implement stratified care. It has also boosted the ability of grassroots facilities to diagnose and treat normal cases while keeping tabs on signs of severity.Children with mild symptoms have been advised to seek treatment at community clinics or under pediatricians at general hospitals, instead of visiting pediatric hospitals, he said.Also on Friday, the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council released a circular aimed at beefing up containment measures for COVID-19 cases and pathogens in the coming months.According to the circular, China will likely see simultaneous circulation of multiple respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, this winter and in spring.The risk of a rebound in COVID-19 cases this winter remains, although the current epidemic situation is stable, it said.Meanwhile, cases of influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae infections have been on the rise since October. Flu cases are expected to register a peak in the coming months, while mycoplasma pneumoniae infections will continue to spread fast in some regions.The circular emphasized using different sources of data from online reporting systems, fever clinics, sentinel hospitals and laboratory test results as part of efforts to strengthen monitoring of and early warning against contagious diseases.In addition, personal protection measures and health monitoring efforts at nursery care and elderly care homes as well as schools should be reinforced, and vaccination campaigns targeting the elderly, people with preexisting diseases and children should be intensified, it said.Localities are instructed to allocate medical resources to fit intensity of regional epidemic situations and strengthen the supply of key medications, especially pediatric drugs.Epidemic control measures at ports such as measuring body temperatures of inbound passengers, carrying out epidemiological investigations and medical screenings should also be strictly implemented, it added.Reporter: Wang Xiaoyu

Despite rising numbers of people on social media claiming to have been infected with COVID-19 for a third time recently, experts have said that those reinfected most likely only had mild symptoms.尽管越来越多的网友在社交媒体上表示三度感染新冠，但专家表示，绝大多数患者症状轻微。While the phrase "third-time COVID" has trended on microblogging platform Sina Weibo, experts said that only a relatively small number of people in the general population have been infected three times and the public doesn't need to worry about a third wave of COVID-19.虽然“三阳”一词在新浪微博上受到广泛关注，但专家表示，在普通人群中仅有少部分人三次感染，公众无需担心第三波新冠疫情。The World Health Organization on Wednesday classified the EG.5 coronavirus strain as a "variant of interest" but said it did not pose more of a threat than other variants.当地时间8月9日，世界卫生组织宣布，将新冠病毒变异株EG.5归类为“需要留意的变异株”，但尚无证据表明它会比其他变异株引发更大的威胁。The EG.5 strain is a substrain of the Omicron variant and has been detected in 51 countries, according to the WHO.世界卫生组织表示，EG.5是新冠病毒奥密克戎亚变异株的亚型，目前已经在51个国家检测到该变异株。WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that while overall risk is low, based on its genetic features, immune escape characteristics and growth rate estimates, EG.5 may spread globally and contribute to a surge in case incidence.世卫组织总干事谭德塞表示，虽然总体风险较低，但根据其遗传特征、免疫逃逸特征和增长率估计，EG.5可能在全球传播并导致发病率激增。However, the risk of severe disease and death is vastly lower than it was a year ago, due to increasing population immunity — whether from vaccination, infection or both — and from early diagnosis and better clinical care.不过，由于人口免疫力的提高——无论是来自疫苗接种、感染还是两者兼而有之——以及早期诊断和更好的临床护理，新冠病毒所导致的重症和死亡风险远低于前一年。Data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug 3 show that the number of severe cases and cases in fever clinics both declined in July.8月3日，中国疾病预防控制中心发布数据显示，7月份全国发热门诊诊疗量以及新冠重症病例数均有所下降。All 9,591 COVID-19 cases reported in July were the Omicron variant, mostly the XBB subvariant, according to the center.中国疾病预防控制中心表示，7月份共报送9591例本土病例新冠病毒基因组有效序列，均为奥密克戎变异株，主要流行株为XBB系列变异株亚分支。Peng Jie, director of the treatment center for infectious diseases at Nanfang Hospital in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, said only a very small number of the patients treated at the hospital were third-time COVID patients, and they only had mild symptoms.广东省广州市南方医院疑难感染诊疗中心主任彭劼表示，门诊发热患者中“三阳”数量很少，症状较轻。COVID-19 is still stable and at a low level of infection in China, he told local media Nanfang Plus.在《南方Plus》采访时彭劼表示，新冠病毒疫情在中国还是处于一个相对平稳、低水平发展的阶段。He said online speculation that the next wave of COVID-19 infections might happen in November has no scientific basis, and the public does not need to worry.他说，网上关于11月可能爆发下一波新冠肺炎的猜测是没有科学依据的，公众无需担心。Wang Gang, deputy director of the infectious disease department at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, said the more times people get infected, the milder the symptoms become.山东大学齐鲁医院感染科副主任王刚表示，人们感染次数越多，症状越轻。When people get infected for the third time, it is likely they will only feel very mild symptoms and pay little attention to it, he told newspaper Dazhong Daily.在接受《大众日报》采访时王刚表示，当第三次被感染时，可能只会出现非常轻微的症状，并且很少注意。"Most people with normal immune systems do not need to worry about getting infected multiple times because their symptoms are too mild to be noticed or need medication."“症状轻到可能注意不到或者无需药物治疗，所以对于大多数免疫正常的普通人来说，不用太在意所谓几阳的问题。”Zhao Wei, director of the biosecurity research center at the School of Public Health of Southern Medical University, said the fluctuation of COVID-19 cases is still within a manageable range, and the public can rest assured.南方医科大学公共卫生学院生物安全研究中心主任赵卫表示，新冠肺炎病例的波动尚在可控范围内，公众可以放心。However, if COVID-19 infections lead to new symptoms or a significant increase of serious cases or deaths, disease control authorities will raise the alarm, and then the public will need to take more precautions, he said.赵卫说，如果新冠感染导致新的临床症状，或者重症率、病死率显著上升，疾控部门会发出警报，大众需要根据指引加强个人防护。Reinfect英 /ˌriɪn'fɛkt/美 /ˌriɪn'fɛkt/vt.使再感染Symptom英 /ˈsɪmptəm/美 /ˈsɪmptəm/n.征兆；症状

China reported 106 monkeypox infections between June 2 and 30, but the virus' spread is primarily among sexual contact between men, and the possibility of a large-scale domestic outbreak is low, health experts said.6月2日至6月30日，中国内地（不含港澳台）新增报告106例猴痘确诊病例。专家表示，该病毒主要在男男性行为人群之间传播，国内大规模流行的可能性很低。The southern province of Guangdong reported 48 cases, while Beijing reported 45. The remaining cases were detected in Jiangsu, Hubei, Shandong and Zhejiang provinces, according to a report released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday.7月14日，中国疾控中心发布6月猴痘疫情监测情况，报告显示，广东省报告48例，北京报告了45例，剩余病例分布在江苏、湖北、山东和浙江。No severe cases or deaths were reported, it added.报告显示，无重症、死亡病例。"The majority of cases were found among men who have sex with men, suggesting the virus is mainly transmitted through homosexual contact," said the China CDC. "The risk of infection through other contact is low, and most nonsexual close contacts have not been infected."中国疾病预防控制中心表示：“绝大多数病例为男男性行为人群，主要通过男男性接触传播，其他接触方式传播风险低，除性接触以外的绝大多数密切接触者未发生感染感染。”It added that most of those who contracted the virus were detected when they visited hospitals, and their main symptoms were fever and swollen lymph nodes.另外，大部分感染者是在就诊时发现，绝大多数病例临床表现为发热和淋巴结肿大。Shi Guoqing, deputy director of the China CDC's emergency operations center, said during a group interview on Friday that only one of the 374 nonsexual close contacts ended up getting infected, and that person shared a bed with a confirmed case.中国疾控中心卫生应急行动中心副主任施国庆在14日的集体采访中表示，除性接触以外的密切接触者有374人，其中仅1人因与确诊病例同床居住感染。"Compared to the transmission of COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory diseases, the spread of the monkeypox virus is slow. There will likely be isolated clusters of infection, but the possibility of widespread infection is low," Shi said.施国庆表示：“与新冠病毒感染、流感等呼吸道传染病传播速度相比，猴痘传播速度较慢，但也可能出现局部聚集性疫情，出现大范围传播的可能性较低。”"The monkeypox control strategy should focus on stepping up awareness campaigns and strengthening multichannel surveillance of medical institutions, key groups and inbound and outbound travelers," he said, adding that inbound passengers do not need to provide negative test results for monkeypox.他说：“猴痘防控策略主要是加强宣传，加强医疗机构、重点人群和出入境人员等多渠道监测。”施国庆补充，从境外回国，不需要提供猴痘核酸阴性检测证明。Shi said that confirmed cases and people suspected of contracting the virus should be transferred to designated hospitals for isolation and treatment. Some of those with mild infections can consider home isolation.施国庆说，猴痘疑似病例和确诊病例应及时转运至医疗机构进行隔离治疗，一些病情较轻的病例可以考虑居家隔离。There is no need for close contacts of cases to isolate, but they should avoid sexual contact and monitor their health for 21 days.病例密切接触者无需隔离，但须避免性接触，并进行21天的健康监测。Li Tongzeng, a doctor in the respiratory and infectious disease department at Beijing YouAn Hospital, said that most monkeypox cases are mild or moderate, and patients are able to recover without special intervention.北京佑安医院感染综合科主任医师李侗曾表示，大多数猴痘病例是轻度或中度的，患者无需特别干预就能康复。"Globally, the hospitalization rate for monkeypox stands at around 6 percent, and 0.1 percent require admission to intensive care units," he said.李侗曾说：“在全球范围内，猴痘的住院率约为6%，需ICU治疗的比例约为0.1%。”The World Health Organization said in a report released on Friday that 112 countries and regions reported nearly 88,300 confirmed monkeypox cases between Jan 1,2022 and July 11, 2023, including 149 deaths.当地时间7月14日，世界卫生组织（世卫组织）发布报告显示，2022年1月1日至2023年7月11日期间，全球112个国家和地区累计报告8.83万例确诊猴痘病例，其中包括149例死亡病例。The WHO declared the current monkeypox outbreak a global public health emergency in July 2022 but lifted the designation in May.2022年7月，世卫组织宣布猴痘疫情构成“国际关注的突发公共卫生事件”，2023年5，世卫组织宣布猴痘疫情不再构成“国际关注的突发公共卫生事件”。Monkeypox英 /'mʌŋkipɔks/美 /'mʌŋkipɔks/n. 猴痘Case英 /keɪs/美 /keɪs/n. 病例Infection英 /ɪnˈfekʃn/美 /ɪnˈfekʃn/n. 〈医〉传染,感染

The recent wave of COVID-19 is now trending downward, with experts saying China's medical system and the public have coped with the fresh outbreak in an orderly and calm manner.新一波新冠疫情正呈现下降趋势，中国医疗系统和公众平稳有序应对近期疫情。Domestic infections occurred sporadically between February to early April, but began climbing in late April due to waning immunity among the population, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.中国疾病预防控制中心表示，今年2月至4月上旬全国新冠病毒感染疫情局部零星散发，由于人口免疫力下降，4月下旬开始逐步上升。In its latest weekly update on the COVID-19 situation released on Sunday, the China CDC said that rate of increase of daily infections had slowed since late May and the overall COVID-19 epidemic nationwide is declining.6月11日，中国疾病预防控制中心发布最新全国新型冠状病毒感染疫情情况。报告显示，自5月下旬以来，每日新冠病毒感染疫情上升趋势减缓，全国范围内疫情总体呈现下降趋势。"The numbers of fever clinic visits, severe cases and deaths in May were higher than those in April, but much lower than those recorded during the previous wave of the epidemic that peaked in late 2022," said the China CDC.中国疾病预防控制中心表示：“与4月相比，5月发热门诊就诊量、重症和死亡病例有所增加，但总体水平较低，远低于去年年底疫情高峰时的情况。”Last month, the mainland reported a total of 2,777 serious COVID-19 cases and 164 related deaths, including three resulting directly from COVID-19 and the remainder linked to a combination of the virus and underlying diseases, it added.5月，全国31个省（自治区、直辖市）及新疆生产建设兵团报告新增重症病例2777例、死亡病例164例，死亡病例中有3例直接由新冠肺炎引起，其余为基础疾病合并新冠病毒感染引起。The XBB strain, and its descendants, is currently the dominant strain on the mainland, with its percentage among total infections rising from around 85 percent in early May to 92.4 percent in late May.XBB系列变异株为目前主要的流行株，XBB及其亚分支的占比逐渐增加，从月初的85%，增长到月末的92.4%。Tong Zhaohui, vice-president of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, said during a group interview on May 29 that his hospital did not experience a surge in patients recently and it is capable of guaranteeing normal operation.5月29日，首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院副院长童朝晖在采访中表示，他所在的医院目前没有出现病人激增的情况，保持正常医疗秩序没问题。"Most reinfections have only exhibited mild symptoms and have recovered quickly, and few have suffered high fever," he said.童朝晖说:“大多数‘二阳'人群患者症状普遍较轻，患者恢复相对较快，较少出现持续高热的情况。”Zhang Wenhong, head of the infectious disease department at Fudan University's Huashan Hospital in Shanghai, said that the majority of infected patients during this wave of the outbreak suffered less severe symptoms than those infected during the previous wave. "Hospitals are able to handle them in a more effective manner, pushing down this wave's death rate to a very low level," he said during an interview with Paper.cn.上海复旦大学附属华山医院感染科主任张文宏在接受澎湃新闻采访时表示，与第一波疫情相比，第二波疫情中绝大多数患者的症状更轻，医院能够以更有效的方式应对疫情，并将死亡率控制在较低的范围内。He said that with waning immunity and viral mutations, it is likely that more waves of the epidemic will occur in the future, but China's local governments, and medical and disease control systems have already stepped up their preparedness. "The virus is not expected to exert a major impact on social and economic activities and there is no need to overreact," he said.张文宏称，随着免疫力下降和病毒突变，未来可能会发生更多的疫情，但中国地方政府和疾控系统已经做好充足的准备，病毒将不会对社会和经济生活产生重大影响，各方没有必要过度反应。Lyu Yi a resident of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, said that her father started showing symptoms such as coughing and fever three weeks ago and went to hospital to receive intravenous injections and medication.江苏无锡居民吕易(音译)表示，她的父亲三周前开始出现咳嗽和发烧等症状，前往医院接受静脉注射和药物治疗。"The hospital seemed to be in a normal state and the drugs that my father needed were readily available," Lyu said.吕易说：“医院看起来运转正常，我很容易就买到了父亲需要的药物。”"It was the first time that he got infected, so we felt a little bit anxious at first," she said. "But seeing that some of my colleagues and friends had all recovered from the infection recently, I soon calmed down," she said.吕易说：“因为这是父亲第一次感染，所以我们一开始有点焦虑。但是当我看到同事和朋友都康复时，我马上就平静下来了。”Decline英 /dɪˈklaɪn/美 /dɪˈklaɪn/n. 下降Infection英 /ɪnˈfekʃn/美 /ɪnˈfekʃn/n. 〈医〉传染,感染Symptom英 /ˈsɪmptəm/美 /ˈsɪmptəm/n.症状

May 8, the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism held a news conference, introducing the prevention and control work after the COVID-19 pandemic no longer constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.5月8日下午，国务院联防联控机制召开新闻发布会，介绍新冠疫情不再构成“国际关注的突发公共卫生事件”后防控工作有关情况。Discussions of COVID-19 re-infections were popular online recently as some netizens suffered from COVID-like symptoms after the May Day holidays, during which large gatherings and mass movements increased the risks of getting the coronavirus.近日，关于新冠疫情“二阳”的讨论在网上很流行，因为一些网民在“五一”假期间的经历大型聚集、迁徙后出现了类似新冠的症状。Officials said that the virus has kept mutating, and sporadic cases have been reported across the country with the harm of the disease still existing, officials from China's National Health Commission (NHC) said during a press conference on Monday.5月8日的新闻发布会上，国家卫生健康委员会的成员表示，新冠病毒在不断变异，全国各地都有零星的病例报告，疾病的危害仍然存在。According to Liu Qing, official of the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, the recent monitoring results of nationwide fever outpatient departments show a small increase in the epidemic in some areas during the "May Day" holiday, but the number of serious cases in hospitals around the country does not increase significantly. And medical institutions are not affected. Overall, there are sporadic outbreaks of scattered infections and no large-scale epidemic nationwide.国家疾控局传染病防控司副司长刘清表示，近期，全国发热门诊监测结果显示，“五一”期间部分地区疫情出现小幅上升，但各地在院重症病例数均未出现大幅增加，医疗机构正常诊疗秩序也未受到影响。总体来看，国内疫情目前仍处于局部零星散发状态，各地医疗服务秩序正常，全国未出现规模性疫情。According to Chen Cao, a researcher from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, with China increasing its foreign exchanges, the composition of the main epidemic strains of the COVID-19 in China is increasingly affected by international influences. The XBB variants account for 97.5% of all imported cases in late April, which is close to the global proportion.中国疾控中心病毒病所研究员陈操表示，随着我国对外交流的不断增加，我国新冠病毒主要流行株的构成也受国际影响明显增大。从监测数据看，今年4月下旬，在输入病例当中，XBB系列变异株的构成已经达到了97.5%，与全球的XBB系列变异株占比基本保持一致。According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the highly transmissible XBB variant has become the dominant strain on the mainland, with its percentage among total COVID-19 infections rising from 0.2 in mid-February to 74.4 in April.据中国疾病预防控制中心称，高传染性XBB系列变异株已成为主要毒株，在本土病例中，XBB变异株的占比自今年2月份明显升高，从2月中旬的0.2%增长到了4月下旬的74.4%。According to Chen during the Monday briefing, the XBB variants have stronger transmissibility and immune escape ability than the earlier prevalent Omicron variants, but with no significant change in their pathogenicity.5月8日，新闻发布会上，陈操表示，XBB系列变异株是一种奥密克戎重组变异株，其传播力和免疫逃逸能力均强于早期流行的奥密克戎变异株，但致病力没有明显的变化。Wang Guiqiang, Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Peking University First Hospital, said there are many reasons for sore throat, including COVID-19, flu, and bacterial infections, so they should be treated differently. The clinical manifestations of a secondary COVID-19 infection and XBB variant infection are similar at present. It is a necessity to maintain personal hygiene, including wearing a mask, to avoid or reduce the risk of further transmission.北京大学第一医院感染疾病科主任王贵强表示，导致咽喉痛的原因有很多，包括新冠、流感以及很多细菌感染等，所以要区别对待，如果感染新冠，无论是二次感染还是新变异株导致的感染，目前看临床表现都是类似的，要做好个人卫生，包括戴口罩，避免或者减少进一步传播的风险。Pan Hongying, director of the Department of Infection at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, said that it has been found in clinical practice that patients with secondary infection of COVID-19 generally have milder symptoms and fewer cases of significant sore throat. If the patient does not develop a fever, then the patient is indicated as asymptomatic or mild, then it is equally unlikely to develop a sore throat.浙江省人民医院感染科主任潘红英表示，临床中发现，二次感染新冠的患者，普遍症状较轻，出现明显咽喉痛的情况较少。若患者没有出现发烧，说明是无症状或轻症，那么也就同样不可能出现咽喉痛。In general, when sore throat due to acute pharyngitis occurs, oral antipyretic and analgesic medications can be taken and attention should be paid to daily throat protection. Patients with strong immunity can recover in 2 to 4 days. If the inflammation is more serious, it may take 1 week or more to recover, and the patient needs to seek medical examination and take antibacterial drugs and other treatments as prescribed by the doctor.一般情况下，出现急性咽炎导致的咽喉疼痛，可口服解热、镇痛的药物，注意日常护嗓。抵抗力较强的患者2~4天能自行缓解。若炎症较严重，可能需要1周或更长时间恢复，需就医检查，遵医嘱服用抗菌药物等进行治疗。Here are five ways to relieve a sore throat and protect the throat on a daily basis.日常中可以通过下面5个方法，缓解嗓子疼，保护咽喉。It is recommended that healthy male adult drink 1,700 ml of water a day and women 1,500 ml a day. Drink small amounts of water many times and never wait until you are thirsty.一定的湿度对咽部黏膜有滋润和保护作用。建议健康成年男性每天喝1700毫升水，女性每天喝1500毫升水。多次、少量喝水，千万不要等到口渴再喝。Studies have shown that saline irrigation of the mucous membranes in the throat can kill bacteria and relieve inflammation. Add a small half spoon of table salt to a bowl of warm water, wait for the salt to fully dissolve and then gargle with salt water. Hold it in your mouth for 20-30 seconds and spit it out, then rinse your mouth with water.研究表明，盐水冲洗咽喉部位的黏膜能起到杀菌、缓解炎症的作用。具体做法：在一碗温水（约250毫升）中加入小半匙食盐（一啤酒瓶盖），待食盐充分溶解后用来漱喉。口含20~30秒吐出，再用清水漱口。Inhale steam from a hot cup of water through the mouth, paying attention that the water temperature does not exceed 60℃. Doing this for twenty minutes twice a day for two to three days can greatly relieve pain and ease symptoms.口张开，以适当距离对着有热气的水杯，注意水温不要超过60℃。每天2次，每次20分钟左右，如此2~3天可以大大缓解疼痛症状。When taking throat lozenge, make sure it is contained in the base of the tongue near the throat. Do not chew or swallow directly, and avoid drinking a lot of water within half an hour. It should be noted that most of the lozenges contain iodine, which can have a good inhibitory effect on bacteria. They should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.服用润喉片时应含在舌根靠近咽喉的部位，不能直接咀嚼和吞咽，含服半小时内不要大量喝水。需要注意的是，润喉片大多含碘，对细菌能起到良好的抑制作用。应在医生指导下服用，如果咽喉没有炎症，尽量不要用润喉片。Avoid frequent exertion of throat clearing as it may cause edema of throat mucosa, acute and chronic pharyngitis and other problems.频繁用力清嗓子可能造成咽喉黏膜水肿、急慢性咽喉炎等问题。说话时放慢语速，避免长时间、大声量过度用嗓。Reinfection英/ˌriːɪnˈfekʃən/ 美/ˌriɪnˈfekʃən/n.[医]再感染Variant英/ˈveəriənt/ 美/ˈveriənt/n.变异株

China took the lead in sharing COVID-19 information and virus control experience, as well as in supplying vaccines and sending medical teams, during the global fight against the disease, experts and officials said on Monday, after the World Health Organization announced the downgrading of the pandemic last week.The nation's antivirus battle also demonstrated advantages of its political system and capabilities of its medical professionals, researchers and grassroots workers, which can help guide the handling of other contagious diseases in the future, they added.On Friday, the WHO announced that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, more than three years after it was declared a pandemic.Liang Wannian, head of the National Health Commission's epidemic emergency response expert panel, said that when the first domestic COVID-19 cases emerged in Wuhan, Hubei province, in December 2019, China reported them to the WHO at the earliest possible time, and later promptly identified the pathogen and shared genome sequences with the rest of the world, as well as published treatment and disease control protocols."China offered scientific evidence to aid the global community's efforts in developing vaccines and testing kits to tackle the disease," he said.The country provided antivirus gear, including respirators, protective clothing and masks, for 153 countries and 15 international organizations, and sent 37 expert teams to 34 countries."As the first country to pledge making COVID-19 vaccines 'a global public good' and also the first to cooperate with developing nations to manufacture vaccines, China supplied over 2.2 billion doses (of vaccines) to more than 120 countries and international groups," Liang said.Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said, "China not only protected ... its own people but also functioned as a key supplier of virus control materials and the backbone of the global fight against COVID-19."The nation fended off more than 100 local outbreaks, with its institutional advantages and the commitment of the whole society playing a pivotal role."The fundamental rule for and the prerequisite of all our virus control strategies is putting lives and the health of our people above everything else," Liang said, adding that joint public efforts and the dedication of health workers helped the nation prevail in its fight against the virus."From vaccine research to development of testing equipment, our scientific capabilities have also improved greatly," Liang said, emphasizing the deployment of big data and artificial intelligence tools to increase the efficiency of tracking and managing infections."Over the past three years, China has formulated relatively smooth and effective community management systems and accumulated experience at the grassroots level," he said. "These will play a greater role in handling other public health emergencies and in curbing chronic diseases."Experts noted that the WHO's decision to downgrade COVID-19's public health emergency status does not mean that there should be complacency toward implementing virus control measures.Liu Qing, an official from the National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control, said the threat of COVID-19 still remains, as eased restrictions could promote global travel and accelerate the spread of the virus.According to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the highly transmissible XBB variant has become the dominant strain on the mainland, with its percentage among total COVID-19 infections rising from 0.2 in mid-February to 74.4 in April.China will use its multichannel surveillance systems, which cover viral mutation, fever clinics, sentinel hospitals, urban sewage systems and communities, to closely monitor the domestic and global epidemic trajectory, Liu said."It is also important to step up monitoring of imported cases and novel variants to reduce the risks of them triggering large-scale outbreaks," he said.Special attention will be paid to schools, senior care homes and social welfare centers, Liu said, adding that vaccination among the elderly, people who have never been infected and those who have not completed primary immunization will be strengthened.Pandemic英/pænˈdemɪk/ 美/pænˈdemɪk/n.大流行病Vaccine英/ˈvæksiːn/ 美/vækˈsiːn/n.疫苗Multichannel英/ˈmʌltitʃænl/ 美/ˈmʌltitʃænl/adj.多频道的Surveillance英/sɜːˈveɪləns/ 美/sɜːrˈveɪləns/n.监视，监察

Scientists from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held a press conference this weekend to condemn the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) for requesting more information regarding the early spread of novel coronavirus in Wuhan, the origin city of the ongoing pandemic. French President Emmanuel Macron has argued that Europe needs its own “strategic autonomy” from the United States, potentially including its reliance on the dollar and should avoid following America into any conflict with China over Taiwan. A new proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would tighten emissions restrictions for coal-fired power plants, heartening public health advocates and raising questions from the energy industry about cost and feasibility. Plus more on today's episode.

A few weeks ago, raw data gathered in Janaury 2020 from Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China — the early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic — was uploaded to an online virology database. It caught the attention of researchers. A new genetic analysis from an international team provides the strongest evidence yet for natural origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of one animal in particular: raccoon dogs. Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong talks with Katherine Wu, a staff writer at The Atlantic, who broke the story and explains the genetic evidence. To dive into emerging genetic evidence of this pandemic's origins, read:- Crits-Christoph et. al (2023), Genetic evidence of susceptible wildlife in SARS-CoV-2 positive samples at the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, Wuhan: Analysis and interpretation of data released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control- Katherine Wu's Atlantic article, The Strongest Evidence Yet That an Animal Started the Pandemic- Michaeleen Doucleff's NPR reporting, What does science say about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?

China's current wave of the COVID-19 epidemic is nearing an end, with rural and remote areas getting through the Spring Festival holiday without spikes in infections and no new virus mutations detected, officials and experts said.官员和专家说，中国当前的新冠疫情已接近尾声，农村和偏远地区度过了春节假期，没有出现感染高峰，也没有发现新的病毒变异。Mi Feng, a spokesman for the National Health Commission, said at a news briefing on Monday that the epidemic is at a low level nationwide and in steady decline.国家卫生健康委员会发言人米峰在周一的新闻发布会上表示，全国疫情处于较低水平，呈稳步下降趋势。China ended the requirement for mass testing on Dec 8 and downgraded its management of the disease from Class A to Class B on Jan 8.中国在12月8日结束了大规模检测的要求，并在1月8日将其对该疾病的管理从甲类降至乙类。Following the optimization of the antivirus strategy, the epidemic peaked in late December and then declined. The number of severe cases and deaths at hospitals has continued to trend downward, according to a report released recently by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.12月下旬，随着防疫策略的优化，疫情达到顶峰后有所回落。根据中国疾病预防控制中心最近发布的一份报告，医院的重症病例和死亡人数继续呈下降趋势。The number of COVID-19 deaths at hospitals peaked at around 4,270 on Jan 4, and fell consistently to reach less than 900 fatalities on Jan 23.1月4日，新冠病毒在院死亡人数达到4270人左右的峰值，1月23日，死亡人数持续下降至不到900人。"By late January, the overall epidemic had waned, easing the strain on the nation's medical systems," the report said.报告称：“截至1月下旬，整体疫情已经减弱，缓解了国家医疗系统的压力。”No significant rebound occurred during the Spring Festival holiday from Jan 21 to Friday, and no new viral mutation was detected. "This wave of the epidemic is drawing to a conclusion," the report said.1月21日至27日春节期间，病毒数量未出现明显反弹，未检测到新的病毒突变。报告称：“这一波疫情正在接近尾声。”Before the weeklong holiday, concerns over the impact of COVID centered on rural areas as millions of migrant workers traveled home.在为期一周的假期之前，人们对新冠疫情影响的担忧集中在迎接数百万农民工返乡的农村地区。According to the Ministry of Transport, 226 million trips were made during the holiday, a year-on-year increase of 71.2 percent, but lower than the same period in 2019.交通运输部数据显示，春节期间，全国共运送旅客2.26亿人次，同比增长71.2%，但低于2019年同期。Mao Dezhi, deputy head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' rural cooperative economy bureau, said rural areas saw no major increase in new infections during the holiday thanks to concerted efforts in protecting vulnerable groups and supplying key medical equipment and oral medications to grassroots clinics.农业农村部农村合作经济指导司副司长毛德表示，春节期间，农村地区新增感染病例没有大幅增加，是因为我们齐心协力保护了弱势群体，并向基层诊所提供了关键医疗设备和口服药物。Fu Wei, an official with the National Health Commission's department of primary health, said rural clinics and community healthcare centers made nearly 9.9 million visits to people age 65 and older throughout the holiday. About 40,000 infected patients at risk of becoming seriously ill were transferred to higher-level hospitals.国家卫生健康委员会初级卫生司官员傅伟表示，春节期间，农村诊所和社区卫生服务中心为65岁及以上老年人提供了近990万次就诊。 转移了4万余名危重感染患者。"Monitoring data shows that over 94 percent of grassroots clinics have been supplied with sufficient traditional Chinese medicine and pills to reduce fever and coughing pills to last at least one week, and some have stocked up on COVID-19 oral medications," she said.她说：“监测数据显示，超过94%的基层诊所已获得足够的中药和退烧药和至少持续一周的止咳药，有些诊所还储备了新冠口服药物。”Despite the waning epidemic, officials said rural areas remain the priority for disease control work. With increasing cross-border travel, regular surveillance to access the trajectory of the epidemic as well as virus mutations will also be ramped up.尽管疫情有所减弱，但官员们表示，农村地区仍然是疾病控制工作的重点。随着跨境旅行的增加，还将加强对疫情轨迹和病毒突变的定期监测。Chen Cao, a researcher at the China CDC said the dominant strains driving the latest wave were BF.7 and BA.5.2, and no other novel coronavirus strains are circulating widely.中国疾病预防控制中心研究员陈操表示，推动最新一波疫情的主要毒株是BF.7和BA.5.2，其他新型冠状病毒毒株没有广泛传播。"During the holiday, we received 1,421 genome sequences submitted by local authorities," he said. "They consisted of 11 types of lineages … and no new mutation was identified."他说：“春节期间，我们收到了地方政府提交的1421个基因组序列。它们由11种类型的血统组成……没有发现新的突变。”Chen added that China will continue regular surveillance of outpatients, emergency room visits, severe COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as inbound travelers, to keep a close watch on viral mutations and take precautions.他还补充说，中国将继续对门诊病人、急诊室就诊、重症和死亡病例，以及入境旅客进行定期监测，密切关注病毒突变并采取预防措施。According to National Immigration Administration data, 2.87 million cross-border trips were made during the holiday, including 1.43 million inbound trips and 1.44 million outbound trips, a 120.5 percent year-on-year increase.国家移民管理局数据显示，春节期间跨境旅游人次达287万人次，其中入境旅游143万人次，出境旅游144万人次，同比增长120.5%。The World Health Organization said in a statement on Monday that COVID-19 continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern — its highest alert level.世界卫生组织在周一的一份声明中说，新冠病毒将继续构成国际关注的公共卫生紧急情况——最高警报级别。However, the pandemic may be approaching a turning point, the statement said. While expanding vaccination programs can limit the disease's threat, the WHO said it is almost certain that the virus will remain "a permanently established pathogen in humans and animals in the foreseeable future."然而，声明还称，大流行可能正在接近一个转折点。虽然推广疫苗接种计划可以限制这种疾病的威胁，但世界卫生组织表示，不难否定，这种病毒将继续“在不久的将来仍会成为人类和动物永久的病原体。”Careful and long-term public health plans should be made to mitigate the disease's devastating consequences on people's lives, it added.它补充说，应制定严谨通用的长期公共卫生计划，以减轻疾病对人们生活带来的破坏性后果。Spike英 [spaɪk] 美 [spaɪk]v.阻止…传播Surveillance英 [sɜːˈveɪləns ]美 [sɜːrˈveɪləns]n.监督Pathogen英[ˈpæθədʒən]美[ˈpæθədʒən]n.病原体

①A UN report released on Wednesday said global economic growth is projected to decelerate from an estimated 3 percent in 2022 to 1.9 percent in 2023. What are the factors that are challenging global recovery from the COVID-19 crisis? (00:48) ②The latest figures from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention show severe COVID-19 cases in the country are down 72% since peak time. What knowledge and experience can China share with the world in treating severe and critical COVID-19 cases? (12:26)

In this special edition on China's new face in the fight against COVID-19, Liu Xin had an exclusive dissection of the details with Dr. Shao Yiming, former Chief Expert on AIDS at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Management, and a current member of the Vaccine Task Force of the Central Government's COVID Control Mechanism; Dr. Kate Tulenko, CEO of the health workforce company Corvus Health, and Former Vice President of Health Systems Innovation; and from Singapore Prof. Wang Linfa, Emerging Infectious Disease at the Duke-NUS Medical School.

英语新闻｜做好准备应对新冠新形势China's recent shifts in COVID-19 control strategy are well-paced, with sufficient preparatory work in place to handle the resulting surge in medical demand, authorities said on Thursday.我国政府周四表示，中国最近对新冠控制策略的转变进展顺利，已做好充分的准备工作来应对由此产生的医疗需求激增。With the epidemic progressing rapidly, they added that the country has counted and will always count and publish the COVID-19 death toll in a transparent and fact-based manner.随着疫情的迅速发展，他们补充说，我国已经并将始终以透明和基于事实的方式统计和公布新冠死亡人数。Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a news briefing that outbreaks in cities like Beijing and Tianjin as well as Chengdu, Sichuan province, have peaked.中国疾病预防控制中心流行病学首席专家吴尊友在新闻发布会上说，北京、天津和四川成都等城市的疫情已经达到高峰。Increased movement during the Spring Festival travel rush and circulation of other respiratory diseases will make the situation more challenging, he said. "Localities are closely monitoring and analyzing outbreaks and strive to reduce disruption to normal lives and production."他说，春运期间流动性增加以及其他呼吸道疾病的传播将使形势更加严峻。 “各地正在密切监测和分析疫情，努力减少对正常生活和生产的干扰。”China has adjusted its COVID-19 strategy and gradually eased curbs since November, leading to concerns over the challenges posed to the resilience of a healthcare system serving a dense and massive population.自11月以来，中国调整了其新冠战略并逐步放松限制措施，这引发了人们对服务于密集且庞大人口的医疗保健系统的弹性所面临挑战的担忧。Jiao Yahui, deputy director of the National Health Commission's medical administration bureau, said that the country's overall medical system has not reached full capacity and is not under widespread strain, although some cities have faced a shortage of medical supplies during infection peaks.国家卫生健康委员会医政局副局长焦亚辉表示，尽管部分城市在感染高峰期面临医疗物资短缺，但国家整体医疗体系尚未达到满负荷状态，并未普遍承受压力。"We had foreseen a spike in medical demand (after the policy shift) and have been stepping up preparedness," she said.“我们曾预见到医疗需求会激增（在政策转变之后），并且一直在加强准备工作，”她说。For instance, community and rural health institutions have all been required to set up fever clinics, and the number of facilities accepting fever patients at secondary and tertiary hospitals has increased to about 57,000.例如，要求社区和农村卫生机构全部设立发热门诊，二级、三级医院发热门诊机构增至5.7万个左右。"Makeshift hospitals and nucleic acid testing booths can also be repurposed to function as temporary fever clinics, in order to meet the needs of patients," she said.她说：“方舱医院和核酸检测站也可以改造成临时发热门诊，以满足患者的需要。”Authorities have also beefed up production and distribution of medications, and residents can purchase medicines either online or at bricks-and-mortar pharmacies.当局还加强了药品的生产和分配，居民可以在网上或实体药店购买药品。Jiao said the number of intensive care beds has reached 181,000 nationwide, and more emergency medical equipment, ranging from respirators to high-flow oxygen devices, has been added.焦说，全国重症监护病床数量已达到18.1万张，并增加了从呼吸机到高流量氧气设备等更多紧急医疗设备。To alleviate pressure in hard-hit regions, Jiao said a cross-regional assistance mechanism devoted to mobilizing critical care resources has been set up.焦说，为减轻重灾区的压力，已经建立了专门调动重症监护资源的跨区域援助机制。As China is set to lift quarantine and testing demands for incoming travelers on Jan 8, Jiao said that being well prepared means that the opening up of borders won't overwhelm its medical system.由于中国将于1月8日取消对入境旅客的检疫和检测要求，焦说，做好充分准备意味着边境开放不会压垮其医疗系统。Spike英[spaɪk]；美[spaɪk]n. 猛增；急升Downgrade英[ˌdaʊnˈɡreɪd]；美[ˌdaʊnˈɡreɪd]v. 使降职；使降级Perimeter英[pəˈrɪmɪtə(r)]；美[pəˈrɪmɪtər]n. 外缘，边缘

英语新闻｜我国在疫苗接种方面迈出了一大步From offering the world's first inhaled COVID-19 vaccines and developing Omicron-targeted vaccines to rolling out second booster shots and targeted immunization plans for seniors, China's vaccination efforts have gained steam this year, according to authorities.据有关部门称，从提供世界上第一个吸入式新冠疫苗和开发奥密克戎靶向疫苗，到推出第二次加强针和针对老年人的针对性免疫计划，中国的疫苗接种工作在今年取得了一系列进展。The country started 2022 with a strong arsenal to fight COVID-19, with seven domestically developed vaccines available. Two of the vaccines were deployed globally after gaining approval for use from the World Health Organization.我国从2022年开始拥有强大的武器库来对抗新冠，并提供了七种国内开发的疫苗。其中两种疫苗在获得世界卫生组织批准后在全球部署。Chinese researchers also raced to provide a wider variety of vaccines, including doses administered through the mouth or nose, to keep up with new mutations of the novel coronavirus.中国研究人员还竞相提供更多种类的疫苗，包括通过口或鼻给药的剂量，以跟上新型冠状病毒的新突变。"Recently, China granted conditional approval to five COVID-19 vaccines and emergency use authorization to eight vaccines," Huang Guo, deputy director of the National Medical Products Administration, said at a news briefing on Dec 20.国家药品监督管理局副局长黄果在12月20日的新闻发布会上说：“最近，中国有条件批准了五种新冠疫苗和八种疫苗的紧急使用授权。”Li Bin, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said that China has maintained a steady pace in updating its COVID-19 policy.国家卫生委员会副主任李斌表示，中国在更新其新冠政策方面一直保持稳定的步伐。"We have advanced vaccination and booster shot campaigns, developed and approved a number of vaccines and provided different combinations," he said.“我们推进了疫苗接种和加强注射活动，开发并批准了多种疫苗，并提供了不同的组合，”他说。On Sept 4, China became the first country to grant emergency-use approval to an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine made by CanSino Biologics based in Tianjin. The vaccine can only be used as a booster.9月4日，中国成为第一个批准紧急使用天津CanSino Biologics生产的可吸入新冠疫苗的国家，该疫苗只能用作加强剂。The vaccine delivers a dose through a puff of air from a nebulizer and is inhaled through the mouth.该疫苗通过喷雾器的一股空气输送剂量，并通过口腔吸入。Sunney Xie Xiaoliang, a biophysical chemist at Peking University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that by stimulating immune responses in the nasal cavity where respiratory pathogens first enter, inhaled or nasal spray vaccines are showing promise in fending off infections.北京大学生物物理化学家、中国科学院院士谢晓亮表示，通过刺激呼吸道病原体最先进入的鼻腔中的免疫反应，吸入或鼻喷疫苗有希望抵御感染。"Using it as a booster shot can also trigger higher levels of humoral immunity as well as cellular immunity, which are potentially capable of clearing the virus within a shorter period," he added.他补充说：“将其用作加强针还可以触发更高水平的体液免疫和细胞免疫，这有可能在更短的时间内清除病毒。”On Dec 2, a nasal spray vaccine jointly developed by Xiamen University in Fujian province, Hong Kong University and the Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise was also cleared for emergency use.12月2日，由福建省厦门大学、香港大学和北京万泰生物制药企业联合研制的鼻喷疫苗也获批应急使用。The nasal spray's main use is as a second booster for the elderly, according to the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism.根据国务院联防联控机制，鼻腔喷雾剂的主要用途是作为老年人的第二次加强针。In Beijing's Xicheng district, Tang Ying, a community health center worker, said entire afternoons are usually assigned to delivering nasal spray vaccines. The center also provides door-to-door services for seniors.在北京西城区，社区卫生服务中心工作人员唐颖说，他们整个下午通常都用来运送鼻腔喷雾疫苗，该中心还为老年人提供上门服务。More vaccines using different technologies or providing stronger protection against COVID-19 variants are in the pipeline.更多使用不同技术或针对新冠病毒变体提供更强保护的疫苗正在研发中。As the highly transmissible but less virulent Omicron variant spreads across the country, clinical trials on three domestically developed inactivated vaccines tailored to counter it have begun on the Chinese mainland and in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the United Arab Emirates.随着高传播性但毒性较低的奥密克戎变种病毒在全国蔓延，针对该病毒量身定制的三种国产灭活疫苗的临床试验已在中国大陆、香港特别行政区和阿拉伯联合酋长国展开。Another approach being tested by scientists is vaccines designed to protect against multiple strains. Authorities said that three out of the nine multivalent vaccine candidates have entered the third stage of clinical trials.科学家正在测试的另一种方法是设计用于预防多种毒株的疫苗。当局表示，九个多价候选疫苗中的三个已进入临床试验的第三阶段。China's quest to invent vaccines based on the messenger RNA technology is also making progress.中国基于mRNA技术研制疫苗的努力也在取得进展。Walvax Biotechnology, a drugmaker based in Yunnan province, said on Sept 30 that its mRNA vaccine, developed with Suzhou Abogen Biosciences, had been approved for emergency use in Indonesia.总部位于云南省的制药商Walvax Biotechnology于9月30日表示，其与Suzhou Abogen Biosciences开发的mRNA疫苗已获准在印度尼西亚紧急使用。The company said recently that it has built a production plant capable of manufacturing mRNA vaccines in Yuxi, Yunnan.该公司最近表示，已在云南玉溪建设了一个能够生产mRNA疫苗的生产厂。Health authorities have also fine-tuned the country's immunization protocols this year, based on the latest studies on vaccine efficacy and safety.卫生当局今年还根据对疫苗功效和安全性的最新研究微调了我国的免疫方案。Zheng Zhongwei, head of the country's vaccine development task force, said during a recent interview that the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has monitored adverse reactions to the 3.4 billion doses administered on the mainland. The rate of adverse reaction of COVID-19 vaccines is on par with that of other commonly administered vaccines, while the rate among the elderly is slightly lower than that of younger people, he said.中国疫苗研制工作组组长郑忠伟最近接受采访时说，中国疾病预防控制中心监测了大陆接种的34亿剂疫苗的不良反应。他说，新冠疫苗的不良反应率与其他常用疫苗的不良反应率相当，而老年人的不良反应率略低于年轻人。Globally, China has supplied over 2.2 billion vaccine doses to more than 120 countries and international organizations, Zheng added.郑补充说，在全球范围内，中国已向120多个国家和国际组织提供了超过22亿剂疫苗。With major COVID-19 control policy adjustments underway, experts said that the emphasis of vaccination work in the near future is further boosting immunization coverage among the elderly and vulnerable groups.随着新冠防控政策的重大调整，专家表示，近期疫苗接种工作的重点是进一步提高老年人和弱势群体的免疫覆盖率。As of Dec 13, the mainland had fully vaccinated 90.37 percent of its population, but the rate was 86.6 percent for those age 60 and above and 66.4 percent for those age 80 and above.截至12月13日，大陆已为90.37%的人口全面接种疫苗，其中60岁及以上人口接种率为86.6%，80岁及以上人口接种率为66.4%。On Nov 29, the State Council rolled out an action plan dedicated to expanding vaccination among the elderly. New measures include approving different combinations of vaccine doses, requiring localities to survey their elderly population and improving the convenience of services.11月29日，国务院出台了一项专门扩大老年人疫苗接种的行动计划。新措施包括批准不同的疫苗剂量组合、要求地方调查其老年人口以及提高服务的便利性。This month, China also announced it will offer a second booster for the most vulnerable groups, including the elderly, those with severe preexisting illnesses and those with conditions that compromise their immune system.本月，中国还宣布将为最弱势群体提供第二次加强针，包括老年人、患有严重既往疾病的人和免疫系统受损的人。Zhang Shuo, a local official of Yinghai township in Beijing, said during an interview with People's Daily on Tuesday that in recent days elderly people appear more willing to get vaccinated.北京市英海镇地方官员张硕周二在接受人民日报采访时说，最近几天老年人似乎更愿意接种疫苗。"Previously, quite a number of seniors and their family members had concerns on whether vaccination would worsen their preexisting illnesses and it took great efforts to persuade them," he said.他说：“此前，不少长者和家人担心接种疫苗会不会加重原有疾病，劝说费了很大力气。”"But this year, we can tell that their attitudes have obviously changed and they sincerely want to be vaccinated. Most just consult us about questions such as whether high blood pressure and heart disease patients are eligible for immunization," he added.“但今年，我们可以看出他们的态度明显发生了变化，他们真诚地希望接种疫苗。大多数人会咨询我们一些问题，例如高血压和心脏病患者是否有资格接种疫苗，”他补充说。Arsenal 英[ˈɑːsənl]；美[ˈɑːrsənl]n. 兵工厂；武器库；军火库Tailor 英[ˈteɪlə(r)]；美[ˈteɪlər]v. 专门制作；订做pipeline 英[ˈpaɪplaɪn]；美 [ˈpaɪplaɪn]n. 输油管道，输气管道，输送管线

英语新闻｜专家预测明年春天疫情将恢复正常China has optimized its COVID-19 response measures at the right time, amid the reduced fatality rate of the Omicron variant and the increased preparedness of the nation's healthcare system, experts said over the weekend.本周末，专家表示，在奥密克戎病毒死亡率降低，国家医疗系统的准备程度提高的情况下，我国适时优化调整了新冠肺炎防控举措。They cautioned that the country will face "waves of COVID-19 infection" through winter, but added that the overall epidemic situation is controllable and a return to full normalcy can be expected by spring.专家提醒，整个冬季，我国将面临“新冠肺炎感染潮”，但总体疫情是可控的，预计明年春天将恢复完全正常。Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the rate of severe and critical cases plummeted from 16.47 percent in 2020 to 3.32 percent last year. By Dec 5, the rate further dropped to 0.18 percent.中国疾病预防控制中心首席流行病专家吴尊友表示，中国新冠重症、危重症的比例从2020年的16.47%下降到去年的3.32%，再下降到今年12月的0.18%，重症与病死率都在逐渐下降。"The past three years have been very difficult. We have waited for the virus to become less virulent and less of a threat to people's health. We have also earned plenty of time to expand our vaccination reach and build our capacity to cope with the disease," he said at a forum held on Saturday.“过去三年非常艰难。我们一直在等待新冠病毒的致病性也逐渐减弱到同流感病毒一般，甚至低于流感病毒。中国防疫的3年里，让更多人完成了疫苗接种，形成足够的防护力。”12月17日吴尊友在论坛上指出。On Dec 7, China released a set of 10 optimized COVID-19 rules, including allowing asymptomatic cases and patients with mild symptoms to isolate at home and restricting the need for mass testing.12月7日，中国宣布防疫“新十条”，包括允许具备居家隔离条件的无症状感染者和轻型病例采取居家隔离，并限制大规模检测的开展。Wu said these policy adjustments were rolled out when the number of deaths per week globally had hit the lowest level and stayed below 10,000 for consecutive weeks.吴尊友解释说，新十条的宣布时间，正是全球过去3年每周报告死亡人数的最低点，也是连续几周每周报告病例死亡数低于一万的时间点。"If these measures were announced earlier, say at the beginning of this year, the mainland would have seen 866,000 to 1.039 million more deaths," he said.吴尊友说：“按照推算，若是将“新十条”提前公布，将会造成多数百万人死亡。哪怕是提前到今年年初公布，中国大陆就会多死亡86.6万—103.9万人。”Zeng Guang, a former researcher at the China CDC, observed that the COVID-19 infection has changed with time. While its transmissibility has increased, its ability to cause death has declined.中国疾病预防控制中心流行病学前首席科学家曾光观察到，新冠肺炎感染随着时间的推移而发生变化。虽然病毒的传播性增加了，但致死性下降了。"The 10 new measures, which are also meant to facilitate opening-up, couldn't have come at a more opportune moment," he said during another online event on Saturday.12月17日，曾光在一场线上论坛中谈到，新十条是为了促进开放，从公共卫生角度来看，这是一个较好的转折点。The high transmissibility rate of the Omicron variant, the cold weather and the waning immunity from vaccination are all contributing to the rising number of infections in many regions, Zeng said.曾光表示，奥密克戎变异株的高传播率、寒冷的天气以及疫苗免疫效力的下降都是许多地区感染人数上升的原因。"Beijing and many local governments have launched targeted emergency measures to prevent overstretching of their local medical systems. The overall situation is under control and is set to improve," he added.“北京的措施正在向全国普及，很多省也提出了相似的对策，预防医疗挤兑。我相信形势可控，形势会越来越好。”曾光补充说。Chief epidemiologist Wu said that the mainland will likely be hit by three more waves of COVID-19 infection in the coming months. Large cities are already facing the first wave, which began in mid-December and will continue till mid-January.首席流行病专家吴尊友表示，今冬疫情可以概括为“一峰三波”， 从12月中旬到1月中旬将是第一波疫情，第一波以城市为主。Traveling by migrant workers during the Spring Festival holiday will fuel the second wave and the third wave will occur when these workers return to their workplaces between late February and mid-March.第二波是1月下旬到2月中旬，春节前的人员流动造成第二波疫情上升。第三波是2月下旬到3月中旬，春节后返岗返工。"Around 10 to 30 percent of Chinese people will get infected this winter, and the fatality rate will range from 0.09 to 0.16 percent," he said.吴尊友表示，估计今冬疫情感染率在10%到30%。死亡率将在0.09%到0.16%之间。To step up preparedness, Wu recommended getting a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, maintaining hand hygiene and wearing masks. More efforts should be devoted to protecting vulnerable groups, he said.吴尊友建议大家做好准备，打加强针、戴口罩、保持手卫生，每个人都要保护好自己，此外要重点保护好脆弱人群。Zhang Boli, a top traditional Chinese medicine expert and an academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the epidemic is expected to stabilize by spring, following a peak in January and February, and people will be able to resume their normal lives.顶级中医专家、中国工程院院士张伯礼表示，预计疫情将在1月和2月达到高峰后，在春季稳定下来，人们将能够恢复正常生活。Liang Wannian, a senior expert with the National Health Commission, said the number of severe cases and the strain on hospitals should be closely monitored to map the possibility of outbreaks.国家卫生健康委专家梁万年表示，应密切监测重症病例数量和医院压力，以确定疫情爆发的可能性。Liang said pressing tasks at present include raising vaccination rates among the elderly and those with chronic diseases, stocking up on medical equipment, strengthening hospital capacity and stepping up surveillance of viral mutations.梁万年表示，目前的紧迫任务包括提高老年人和慢性病患者的疫苗接种率、储备医疗设备、提升医院反应能力，并加强病毒突变监测。Preparedness英 [prɪˈpeərɪdnəs] 美 [prɪˈperdnəs]n. 做好准备Epidemiologist英 [ˌepɪˌdiːmiˈɒlədʒɪst] 美 [ˌepɪˌdiːmiˈɑːlədʒɪst]n.流行病学家Transmissibility英 [trænsˌmɪsəˈbɪləti] 美 [trænsmɪsəˈbɪlɪti]n. 传递性

英语新闻｜不再公布无症状感染者数据China will stop publishing daily asymptomatic COVID-19 case counts starting from Wednesday in order to adjust to recent shifts in testing and quarantine rules, the National Health Commission said.国家卫健委表示，我国将从周三（12月14日）开始停止发布每日无症状感染者病例数，以适应最近检测和隔离规则的变化。The commission said in a statement on Wednesday morning that authorities are no longer able to grasp an accurate tally of asymptomatic infections because many people have stopped undergoing regular nucleic acid tests and mass screening has been called off in most regions.卫健委在周三上午的一份声明中表示，由于许多人已经停止接受定期核酸检测，并且大多数地区的大规模筛查已被取消，当局无法再准确掌握无症状感染者的统计数据。Currently, only workers in key sectors and people willing to take the tests are being tested for the virus as an adjusted measure to cope with the highly transmissible but less virulent Omicron strain, said officials.工作人员说，目前，作为应对高传播性但毒性较低的Omicron毒株的调整措施，只有关键部门的工作人员和愿意接受检测的人才会接受病毒检测，。Li Qun, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's emergency operations center, said during a news briefing that grassroots health institutions are still required to provide guidance and services for asymptomatic cases recuperating at home.中国疾病预防控制中心应急行动中心主任李群在新闻发布会上表示，基层卫生机构仍需为无症状感染者居家休养提供指导和服务。The commission began publishing daily caseloads of asymptomatic cases on April 1, 2020.该委员会于2020年4月1日开始公布无症状病例的每日病例数。On Tuesday, the mainland reported 2,249 confirmed local infections and currently has a total of 35,274 confirmed local infections, including 150 severe cases, said the commission.该委员会称，12月13日，大陆报告确诊本地感染病例2249例，目前累计确诊本地感染病例35274例，其中重症病例150例。In response to public doubts over a drop in reported infections as many have noticed surging infections around them following the policy adjustment, Li said that the discrepancy is partly a result of fewer tests being conducted nationwide.许多人注意到政策调整后他们周围的感染激增，但报告的感染人数却下降，李群说，这种差异产生的部分原因是全国范围内进行的检测较少。"In addition, asymptomatic and mild patients, people exhibiting suspicious symptoms and those testing positive after taking antigen self-tests are resting or being treated at home, so their information cannot be logged by medical institutions," he said.“此外，无症状和轻症患者、出现疑似症状的人和自我抗原检测呈阳性的人正在休息或在家接受治疗，因此医疗机构无法记录他们的信息。”他说。Li said the China CDC will continue to deploy multiple surveillance tools and strengthen monitoring of infection clusters at elderly care centers, mental health clinics, social welfare centers, schools and hospitals, so as to understand the latest epidemic situation and viral mutations.李群表示，中国疾病预防控制中心将继续部署多种监测工具，加强对养老院、精神卫生诊所、社会福利中心、学校和医院的感染群监测，以了解最新的疫情和病毒变异情况。To guarantee that asymptomatic and mild cases resting at home can access prompt assistance when in need, Gao Guangming, deputy director of the commission's health emergency response department, said that grassroots health clinics are required to arrange staff on call around the clock to answer the needs and inquiries of local residents.为保障在家休养的无症状轻症患者在需要时能够得到及时救助，卫生应急司副司长高光明表示，要求基层卫生室安排工作人员24小时值班，及时对接回应当地居民的需求。"Meanwhile, communities and village authorities should arrange nucleic acid testing and disinfection work properly," he said.他说：“与此同时，社区和村有关部门应做好核酸检测和消毒工作。”Tally 英[ˈtæli]；美[ˈtæli]n. 记录Asymptomatic 英[ˌeɪsɪmptəˈmætɪk]；美[ˌeɪsɪmptəˈmætɪk]Adj. 无症状的Antigen 英[ˈæntɪdʒən]；美[ˈæntɪdʒən]n. 抗原（能激发人体产生抗体）

英语新闻｜新型变异毒株“地狱犬”来了？中疾控回应The BQ.1 subvariant of Omicron has emerged on the mainland but no marked increase in its pathogenicity has been reported, and reinfection with COVID-19 does not increase the risk of severe illness, health officials and experts said. 卫生官员和专家表示，奥密克戎的亚分支BQ.1已在中国大陆出现，但其致病性没有明显增加，新冠肺炎的二次感染不会增加重症风险。The mainland has reported 49 cases of BQ.1 or its sublineages in nine provincial-level regions. However, no widespread transmission has been reported and no infected patients have been found to suffer more severe symptoms compared with patients who've contracted other variants.目前我国已在9个省份的本土病例中检出BQ.1及其亚分支49例，但尚未广泛流行，所致病例数较少，也未观察到感染BQ.1后临床严重程度较其它变异株增加。"Currently, the dominant strains in circulation in China remain BA.5.2 and BF.7, and both are sublineages of BA.5," the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.“我国现阶段流行的毒株仍以BA.5的亚分支BA.5.2和BF.7为主。”中国疾病预防控制中心12月13日表示。The center made the statement in response to online rumors that BQ.1 and its offshoots were wreaking havoc in Japan with their high transmissibility and high death rates.网络流传消息称，一种名为BQ.1.1的新型变异毒株在日本“杀疯了”，该毒株的传染性和致死率都很高。中国疾控对此做出了回应。BQ.1, which also belongs to the BA.5 family, was first detected in Nigerian patients in June and began spreading in September in Europe and the United States, and gradually rose to become the dominant variant. Since mid-October, Asian countries, including Japan and Singapore, have been registering BQ.1 infections.BQ.1是奥密克戎BA.5的亚分支，2022年6月在尼日利亚感染者中发现，9月开始BQ.1及其衍生的子代亚分支在欧美国家流行，占比逐月升高，10月中旬在日本和新加坡等亚洲国家逐渐开始流行。"While BQ.1 has drawn global attention, no country has ever reported an increase in its pathogenicity, and no report has pointed to an increase in rates of hospitalization and fatality," said the center. "A recent animal study in Japan suggests that the pathogenicity of BQ.1.1(a lineage of BQ.1) is likely the same as or even lower than that of BA.5."“BQ.1虽然引起全球范围的关注，目前，未见任何国家报道BQ.1及其亚分支感染者的致病力增加，也无住院率和病死率增加的报道。近期日本的一项动物研究显示，BQ.1.1的致病性可能与BA.5相同或更低。”中国疾病预防控制中心指出。The center said that China will continue to ramp up surveillance of Omicron variants and promptly evaluate transmissibility, immunity evasiveness and virulence of new strains.该中心表示，我国将继续加强对奥密克戎变异株的基因组变异变迁监测，对新出现的传播优势毒株，及时开展传播力、免疫逃逸能力和致病力的评估。Because the virus is constantly mutating, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday that recovered COVID-19 patients are not immune to repeat infections.12月13日，国家卫生健康委员会表示，奥密克戎可能快速变异出新的亚分支，出现较强的免疫逃逸能力，康复者不能完全避免二次感染。"However, data from overseas has shown that the chance of getting infected with Omicron again within three to six months after the first bout is very low," the commission said.卫健委表示：“不过，国外有统计数据显示，感染过奥密克戎，不管有无症状，3至6个月内二次感染的概率相当低。”In addition, the commission said there is no definitive evidence supporting the theory that repeat infections can induce more serious clinical symptoms.此外，卫健委表示，目前没有定论认为重复感染会出现更严重的临床结果。"Based on observation of real-world cases, the proportion of patients who have suffered more serious health issues during a second infection is very low," the commission said. 卫健委表示，“目前病例来看，患者在重复感染时出现症状加重的倾向，这一比例非常低”。"The pathogenicity of Omicron has weakened, and the rate of severe cases is very low irrespective of being a first infection or repeat infection."“奥密克戎病毒致病力在减弱，不论是第一次感染，还是再感染，发生重症的概率都很低。”Zhong Nanshan, a prominent respiratory diseases expert, said during an interview last week that data from overseas has shown about 78 percent of patients who have recovered from Omicron infection won't catch the virus again for a lengthy period of time.著名呼吸系统疾病专家钟南山上周在接受采访时说，据国外资料显示，一旦感染过奥密克戎，不管有无症状，有78%的人在相当长时间内不会再重复感染。Pathogenicity英 [ˌpæθədʒeˈnɪsɪti] 美 [ˌpæθoʊdʒəˈnɪsɪti]n.致病性Virulence 英 [ˈvɪrələns] 美 [ˈvɪrələns]n.毒性bout英 [baʊt] 美 [baʊt]n.发作，发病期

英语新闻｜China to further upgrade its virus control policyChina's COVID-19 prevention and control work is facing new situations and new tasks, with the weakening pathogenicity of Omicron, increasing uptake of vaccination and growing disease response experiences, Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan said on Wednesday.11月30日，孙春兰指出，随着奥密克戎病毒致病性的减弱、疫苗接种的普及、防控经验的积累，我国疫情防控面临新形势新任务。During a meeting with top public health and medical experts in Beijing, she said China will "take small steps" to further upgrade its virus control policy and "keep moving", as well as continuing to improve its diagnostics, testing, treatment and quarantine measures.国务院副总理孙春兰30日在国家卫生健康委召开座谈会，听取有关方面专家对优化完善防控措施的意见建议。走小步不停步，不断完善诊断、检测、收治、隔离等措施。She also stressed boosting mass immunization, especially among the elderly, accelerating preparations of drugs and medical resources, while ensuring a balance between disease control work and social and economic development.孙春兰同样强调要加强全人群特别是老年人免疫接种，加快治疗药物和医疗资源准备，落实好“疫情要防住、经济要稳住、发展要安全”的要求。Sun said that China has always put the safety and health of its people first during its three years' fight against the virus.孙春兰指出，疫情防控近三年来，党中央、国务院始终把人民群众生命安全和身体健康放在第一位。Over the course, China has released nine versions of disease prevention and control protocols and published a package of 20 modified measures, in accordance with the latest epidemic circumstances.因时因势优化完善防控措施，先后印发九版防控方案，出台二十条优化措施。Its steady but agile action has effectively tackled uncertainties of the epidemic, she added.以防控战略的稳定性、防控措施的灵活性有效应对了疫情形势的不确定性，统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展取得重大积极成果。During the meeting, eight senior experts made statements, namely Zhang Boli, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine expert; Shen Hongbing, director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Wang Junzhi, a top expert on biological products and biochemical drugs; Liang Wannian, a member of the National Health Commission's disease response expert panel; Du Bin, intensive care specialist, and three experts with the China CDC.座谈会上，张伯礼、沈洪兵、王军志、梁万年、杜斌、冯子健、杨维中、董小平8位专家作了发言，高度评价我国防控取得的重大成就，对优化完善二十条措施提出意见建议。8位都是抗疫“老将”，在过去3年的抗疫过程中多次出现在公众视野中，包括中国工程院院士、天津中医药大学名誉校长张伯礼，国家疾控局副局长、中国工程院院士、中国疾控中心主任沈洪兵，科研攻关组疫苗研发专班专家组副组长、中国工程院院士王军志，国家卫健委疫情应对处置工作领导小组专家组组长梁万年，北京协和医院内科重症医学科主任杜斌。Agile英[ˈædʒaɪl]；美[ˈædʒ(ə)l]Adj. 敏捷的，灵活的Protocol英[ˈprəʊtəkɒl]；美[ˈproʊtəkɑːl]n. 科学实验计划；医疗方案uptake 英[ˈʌpteɪk]；美[ˈʌpteɪk]n. 使用，利用，应用

英语新闻|我国成年男女平均身高169.7厘米和158厘米，你拖后腿没？Chinese people aged between 18 and 44 grew taller on average over the 2015-20 period, said an official with the National Health Commission on Monday.6月27日，国家卫生健康委在新闻发布会表示，在2015-2020年期间，我国18-44岁的平均身高有所增长。Average heights for men and women in this age group edged up 1.2 centimeters and 0.8 cm to 169.7 cm and 158 cm respectively during the period, Liu Jinfeng, director of the department of food safety standards, risk surveillance and assessment with the commission, said at a news conference.国家卫生健康委食品安全标准与检测评估司司长刘金峰表示，2020年我国18-44岁居民身高分别为男性169.7厘米、女性158.0厘米，比2015年分别增加1.2厘米、0.8厘米。"Monitoring results revealed that the nutritional and health status of Chinese people has continued to improve over the past years, and the disparity between urban and rural areas is gradually narrowing," he said.他说：“监测结果显示，我国居民营养健康状况持续改善，城乡差异逐步缩小。”With improved nutrient intake, the stunting rate among children aged six and below dropped from 11.3 percent in 2015 to 5.8 percent in 2020, the commission's data showed.国家卫健委数据表明，随着营养摄入量的提高，我国6岁以下儿童生长迟缓率由2015年的11.3%下降至2020年的5.8%。Furthermore, the average daily per capita consumption of salt from cooking dropped by 1.2 grams over the years to 9.3 grams in 2020.此外，2020年人均每日烹调用盐9.3克，比2015年下降1.2克。As of the end of last year, about 13.7 million babies in previously impoverished areas in China had benefited from a nationwide program aimed at improving their nutrition, the commission said.国家卫健委表示，截至2021年底，通过我国贫困地区儿童营养改善项目累计收益的儿童人数达到1370万。The commission initiated the program in 2012 to provide micronutrient sachets for infants and young children aged 6 months to 2 years in impoverished areas. The food supplement package contains essential proteins, vitamins and minerals to counter malnutrition.国家卫生健康委从2012年启动了该项目，为国家集中连片特殊困难地区的6-24月龄的婴幼儿每天提供1包营养包，这个营养包富含蛋白质、维生素和矿物质作为辅助的营养补充品。China also launched a program in 2011 to issue nutrition subsidies to primary and middle school students in rural areas.我们国家从2011年开始启动农村义务教育学生营养改善计划，为贫困农村义务教育学生提供营养膳食补助。Ding Gangqiang, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Nutrition and Health Institute, said that each student can now receive a 5 yuan (75 cents) subsidy per day.中国疾控中心营养与健康所所长丁钢强表示，如今每学习日每人每天都能获得5元（75美分）的补贴。surveillance英[sɜːˈveɪləns]；美[sɜːrˈveɪləns]n.盯梢，监督; [法]管制，监视disparity英[dɪˈspærəti]；美[dɪˈspærəti]n.不同; 不等; 不一致; 悬殊impoverished英[ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃt]；美[ɪmˈpɑːvərɪʃt]adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷; 使（某物）贫瘠或恶化malnutrition英[ˌmælnju:ˈtrɪʃn]；美[ˌmælnuˈtrɪʃn]n.营养不良

Dr. Wu Zunyou at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention was recognized for his efforts in HIV/AIDS prevention.

英语新闻｜新冠动态清零政策仍是最佳选择｜COVID dynamic clearance policy still best optionThe Omicron variant's high transmissibility, China's relatively low booster shot coverage for the elderly, and the enormous pressure on the medical system if restrictions are lifted prematurely are some of the reasons why the country must adhere to the dynamic zero-COVID policy, experts said.专家表示，考虑到奥密克戎变异株的高传染性，我国老年人群疫苗加强针接种率相对较低以及如果过早放松管控，医疗系统将面临的巨大压力，中国必须坚持动态清零政策。Shenzhen, a mega city with over 17 million inhabitants, managed to tame its Omicron outbreak within a month, which boosted public confidence in dynamic clearance as an effective way of combating mutated strains of SARS-CoV-2, they added.专家补充道，深圳这个拥有1700万居民的特大城市在一个月内成功控制了奥密克戎疫情，这增强了公众对动态清零是抗击SARS-CoV-2 Omicron变异株的有效方法的信心。China is currently grappling with its biggest COVID-19 challenge since the early days of the pandemic. Last month, over 100,000 cases were recorded in 29 provincial-level regions, many of which were caused by the more transmissible Omicron variant, according to the National Health Commission.中国目前正在努力应对自新冠疫情早期以来的最大挑战。据卫健委消息，3月1日至31日，29个省级地区共报告超10万例新增病例，其中多为传播性更强的奥密克戎变异株引起的。This has rekindled public debate over whether China should pivot from its dynamic clearance strategy and start "living with COVID" as many other countries do, based on the assumption that Omicron causes less severe illness.这重新引发了公众的争论，即中国是否应该从其动态清零策略中抽身，像许多国家一样，基于奥密克戎变异株重症患者率较低的假设，开始“与新冠共存”。Ma Xiaowei, director of the National Health Commission, said in an article published by the commission last week that even if the Omicron variant has caused more asymptomatic infections and mild cases, allowing it to run rampant among China's 1.4 billion people could be catastrophic for the country.国家卫健委主任马晓伟在上周卫健委发布的一篇文章中称，尽管奥密克戎感染者多为无症状感染者和轻症病例，放任它在中国的14亿人口中传播的后果将是灾难性的。Ma said the core focus of the dynamic clearance strategy is to swiftly and accurately stamp out each outbreak before it gains momentum. It is not the pursuit of preventing infections from happening, he added.马晓伟表示，动态清零策略的核心是在出现规模性反弹之前快速精准地扑灭疫情，并不是追求绝对零感染。Medical cost医疗成本In December, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a study that incorporated real world pandemic scenarios, epidemiological models, and China's medical resources to examine how a COVID-19 outbreak would play out in China if it followed other countries' coexistence strategies.12月，中国疾病预防控制中心发表了一项研究，该研究结合了现实世界的大流行情况、流行病学模型和中国的医疗资源，研究如果中国遵循其他国家的共存策略，新冠疫情将会如何发展。The study found that if China adopted the control and prevention strategies of the United States, even under the most optimistic conditions, the country would register more than 637,000 daily cases, including over 22,000 severe ones.该研究发现，如果中国采用美国的防疫策略，即使在最乐观的条件下，中国每日的新增病例数也会超过63.7万例，包括2.2万多个严重病例。If China were to follow the United Kingdom, Israel, France or Spain, the number of daily new cases would range from 275,000 to 454,000, depending on the referenced country, along with 9,680 to 15,900 severe cases, the study said.该研究称，如果中国效仿英国、以色列、法国的西班牙的防疫策略，每日新增病例数将在27.5万至45.4万之间，同时伴有9680至15900例严重病例，具体数据取决于参考国家。The availability of medical treatment facilities would also present China with a major challenge. Last year, China had around 4.3 intensive care unit beds per 100,000 people, far lower than the rate in developed countries like the US, according to data from the Fudan University's School of Public Health.医疗资源的配置情况也将给中国带来重大挑战。据复旦大学公共卫生学院的数据，2021年，中国每10万常住人口综合ICU床位数约为4.3张，远远低于美国等发达国家水平。The China CDC's study concluded that if the country were to fully embrace other nations' coexistence strategies, the number of severely ill patients would quickly overwhelm its health system.中国疾控中心总结称，如果中国完全接受其他国家的共存策略，重病患者的数量将对我国的医疗系统造成毁灭性的冲击。Many people consider the Omicron variant weaker than other COVID variants. However, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China CDC, said at a news briefing on Wednesday that data from the recent Hong Kong outbreak showed that the variant can still wreak havoc due to its high transmissibility.许多人认为奥密克戎变异株比其他新冠病毒变异株毒性更弱。然而，中国疾控中心首席流行病学家吴尊友在周三的新闻发布会上说，香港近期疫情的数据显示，由于传染性强、传播速度快，奥密克戎仍然可以造成严重破坏。As of Tuesday, over 1.16 million people out of the 7.6 million residents in the special administrative region had been infected, Wu said. The city has also recorded over 8,100 deaths, mostly seniors with underlying health conditions.吴尊友表示，截至周二，香港特别行政区的760万居民中，有116万多人感染。其中有8,100多例死亡病例，大多数是有潜在健康问题的老年人。Fatality rate死亡率The death toll in the latest outbreak is far bigger than the combined number of the previous four outbreaks in Hong Kong, Wu said.由奥密克戎引发的香港第五波疫情造成的死亡人数，比其前四波疫情造成的死亡总数还高出很多。Experts have also studied UK and US health data collected between August and October last year, when the Delta variant was the dominant strain, as well as data from November to January this year, when the Omicron variant became the dominant COVID strain in those countries.专家研究了去年8月至10月期间收集的英国和美国由疫情造成的死亡人数数据，即德尔塔毒株流行为主，以及今年11月至1月的数据，即奥密克戎毒株流行为主。Studies have shown that while the Omicron variant is weaker, the number of deaths caused by Omicron is greater than that of Delta because it spreads quickly and infects a large number of people. This means the impact of the Omicron variant has not diminished the dangers of COVID, Wu explained.吴尊友称，尽管奥密克戎变异株致病率较低，但是由于传播迅速，奥密克戎变异株流行造成的死亡人数高于同期德尔塔变异株造成的死亡人数。这意味着奥密克戎变异株并未减少新冠病毒带来的危害。He said the Chinese mainland has a low COVID-19 mortality rate due to early detection and quarantine measures to limit the outbreak, preventing it from creating a spike of infections that can strain the medical system.与国外相比，我们国家新冠肺炎病死率低的原因是一直在采取多项措施预防或减少死亡。早发现疫情，把疫情控制在最小范围，完全规避了大量病例出现对医疗资源挤兑造成的死亡。Wang Guiqiang, head of the infectious disease department at Peking University First Hospital, said on Wednesday that the Omicron variant is only relatively less severe compared with other COVID strains. However, the overall harm it causes can be higher than that of influenza, especially to seniors who are unvaccinated or aren't fully inoculated.会上，北京大学第一医院感染疾病科主任王贵强介绍，奥密克戎毒株毒力下降是相对既往毒株而言，目前看它的危害性仍然高于流感，尤其对未接种疫苗或没有全程接种疫苗的老年人。Wang said the latest outbreak in Hong Kong has a fatality rate of roughly 0.7 percent, which is far higher than that of flu. "We cannot drop our guard and be careless," he said, adding that it is paramount to carry out effective epidemic control measures and vaccinate older people.香港特区数据显示目前病死率是0.7%，这个病死率远高于流感的病死率。“目前我们不能麻痹大意，一方面，要采取积极有效的防控策略。另一方面，一定要积极推动疫苗接种，加强疫苗接种力度，尤其是老年人、有基础病的。”Zeng Yixin, deputy head of the National Health Commission, said last month that as of March 17, 80 percent of people ages 60 to 79 had been fully inoculated, but only 50.7 percent of seniors aged 80 and older were.3月18日，国家卫生健康委副主任曾益新在国新办举行从严抓好疫情防控工作新闻发布会上称，截至3月17日，在60-79岁的老年人群中，完成全程基础免疫的人数比例为80％，80岁以上完成全程接种的比例才50.7%。About 56.4 percent of people ages 60 to 69 had received a follow-up booster shot. This figure dropped to 48.4 percent for those ages 70 to 79, and 19.7 percent for those above 80.About 757 million people, or 54 percent of the population, had received a booster shot as of Tuesday.在60-69岁、70-79岁、80岁以上的老年人群中，完成加强免疫的人数比例分别为56.4%、48.4%和19.7%。截至4月5日，全国累计报告完成加强免疫接种7亿569.3万人，覆盖人数占全国总人口的54%。According to a study published by the University of Hong Kong last month, booster shots are extremely effective in reducing the risk of severe disease and mortality for seniors against the Omicron variant. Three shots of the inactivated CoronaVac vaccine could provide a protection rate above 98 percent.上个月香港大学在本轮奥密克戎疫情中的疫苗有效性研究成果显示，加强针可以非常有效地降低奥密克戎突变株重症和致死风险。接种完三针疫苗后，新冠死亡的风险下降到2%。"It is imperative for the senior population, especially those from the oldest age group, to get vaccinated and booster shots," Zeng said.曾益新表示，全程接种、加强免疫接种对于老年人特别对于高龄老年人是非常有价值的。Local success深圳“动态清零”胜利On Wednesday, the Shenzhen Municipal Health Commission announced that it had recorded zero local cases in the past three days, signaling the outbreak caused by the Omicron variant that began on March 9 is now fully under control.深圳市卫健委于周三宣称，本土病例在过去三天内已清零，这表明自3月9日以来，由奥密克戎变异株引起的疫情已完全得到控制。The result is proof that the dynamic zero-COVID policy can control even the most difficult pathogen if carried out properly. Shenzhen health authorities said they will remain levelheaded and vigilant to ensure the outbreak doesn't rebound.这一情况表明，有效实施动态清零政策，可以控制毒性最强的新冠病毒。深圳卫生部门表示，他们将保持清醒和警觉以确保疫情不会反弹。Decisive and meticulous quarantine measures, early mass screening, a young and highly vaccinated population, strong logistics and effective public communication are reasons for Shenzhen's success, experts said.专家认为，果断严格的隔离措施、早期大规模的核酸筛查、多年轻人群、高疫苗接种率、强大的后勤工作及有效的公众沟通都是深圳“清零”成功的原因。Lu Hongzhou, president of the Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, said during an online lecture on Monday that China should uphold the dynamic zero-COVID strategy in the foreseeable future given how the Omicron variant is still rapidly mutating. Lu said the newly discovered XE variant has the potential to be more transmissible and lead to another wave of outbreaks.深圳市第三人民医院院长卢洪洲周一在线上讲座中表示，鉴于奥密克戎病毒仍在不断变异，中国在未来仍应坚持动态清零政策。他认为新变种XE传染性可能更强，或将导致新一轮疫情。Given how the Omicron variant mostly targets the upper airway, Lu said it is important to develop nasal sprays and inhaled vaccines that can protect this part of the body.因奥密克戎变种主要引发上呼吸道症状，卢洪州提出推广鼻腔喷雾和吸入型疫苗，以保护身体健康。wreak 英[riːk];美[riːk ]vt.造成（巨大的破坏或伤害）；施行（报复）havoc 英 [ˈhævək]; 美 [ˈhævək]n.灾难，混乱v.严重破坏；严重破坏diminish英 [dɪ'mɪnɪʃ]；美 [dɪˈmɪnɪʃ]v.减少；削弱；减小；贬低nasal 英 [ˈneɪzl]；美 [ˈneɪzl]adj.鼻的；（嗓音，话语）带鼻音的；（语音）鼻音的n.鼻音；（头盔上的）护鼻inhale 英 [ɪnˈheɪl]；美 [ɪnˈheɪl]vt.吸入，吸气；狼吞虎咽，大吃大嚼

国家卫健委：“动态清零”总方针仍然有效｜Dynamic zero-COVID policy working, NHC saysThe latest COVID-19 epidemic, which has affected 28 provincial-level regions, is controllable, and China will continue with its dynamic zero-COVID policy, which has proved to be effective against the highly infectious Omicron variant, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday.15日，国家卫健委表示，目前波及28个省份的新冠疫情整体仍处于可控状态。实践证明，我国现行的“动态清零”总方针和一系列防控措施应对奥密克戎变异株疫情是行之有效的，要坚持“动态清零”总方针不动摇。Mi Feng, commission spokesman, said at a news briefing that the fast-spreading Omicron variant is the principal cause of most of the domestic outbreaks.国家卫健委新闻发言人米锋在国务院联防联控机制新闻发布会上表示，近期，多地多点发生本土聚集性疫情，主要为奥密克戎变异株，传播快、隐匿性强。"With the increasing occurrence of infection clusters, the number of new cases has risen rapidly and a growing number of regions have been hit by the virus," he said. "The epidemic situation is severe and complicated."米锋表示，“我国疫情发生频次明显增加，感染人数快速增长，波及范围不断扩大，防控形势严峻复杂”。Lei Zhenglong, deputy director of the commission's Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control, said that as of Monday, the Chinese mainland had recorded more than 15,000 local infections in 28 provincial-level regions this month, amid the fourth wave of pandemic that hit its neighbors hard.国家卫生健康委疾控局副局长雷正龙表示，全球正经历新冠疫情第四波流行高峰，我国周边有关国家和地区受到严重影响。我国3月1日至14日本土疫情累计报告感染者已超过15000例，波及全国28个省份。On Monday, the Chinese mainland registered 3,507 locally transmitted infections, nearly double the figure from the previous day. About 1,650 asymptomatic infections were also reported for Monday, according to the commission.3月14日0—24时，新增本土确诊病例3507例，较前一日数据翻倍。新增无症状感染者1650例。Lei said that the outbreaks in Jilin, Shandong, Guangdong and Hebei provinces, as well as in Shanghai municipality, were still developing and some regions are seeing a rapid increase in new cases.雷正龙表示，近期吉林、山东、上海、广东、河北等地疫情还在发展中，部分地区的疫情上升速度较快。Nearly 90 percent of the confirmed cases on Mond northeastern province of Jilin. However, most of them are asymptomatic or mild cases, and only six patients were in critical or severe condition in hospitals, the commission said.卫健委表示，尽管吉林省确诊病例占约90%，绝大部分患者是无症状感染者和轻型病例，重型和危重型病例仅有6例。Health authorities said that China's dynamic zero-COVID policy－which features a combination of targeted lockdowns, mass testing and rapid isolation－has proved effective in tackling outbreaks of Omicron.卫健委表示中国现行的“动态清零”总方针和包含针对性社区管控，大规模核酸筛查，迅速集中隔离在内的一系列防控措施，应对奥密克戎变异株疫情是行之有效的。"Local governments are accelerating screening and the transferring and quarantine of people at risk," he said, adding that the situation is controllable.雷正龙表示，“各地方正加快风险人员筛查、转运、隔离等工作”，“疫情整体仍处于可控状态”。The State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism has sent working groups to at least six provinces to help local governments take more resolute and science-based virus control measures.国务院联防联控机制综合组已经向至少6个省份派出工作组，指导相关地区更加坚决果断、科学精准落实防控措施。Lei said greater effort will be devoted to strengthening examination of imported cold chain products, improving cross-regional coordination in tracking down high-risk groups, and further promoting mass vaccinations, particularly for people over age 80.雷正龙表示，下一步要加强进口冷链食品、国际货运等全链条检查；加强跨区域协调，追踪重点人群，同时，继续有序推进疫苗接种工作，特别是80岁以上老年人疫苗接种工作。Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Monday that the key to China's virus control strategy is to cut transmission chains in a timely, accurate and thorough manner.中国疾控中心流行病学首席专家吴尊友14日表示，控制疫情的关键是要阻断传播链。发现疫情的措施必须实施的早、快、准。"As long as we overcome lax attitudes and stick to strict implementation of regular virus control measures, this round of the epidemic will be effectively contained in the next couple of weeks," he said.吴尊友表示，“只要我们克服麻痹思想，再接再厉，坚持严防死守不松懈，扎实落实常态化防控的各项疫情防控措施，全国疫情形势在未来几周就一定会得到明显控制。”According to the commission, China has fully vaccinated nearly 1.24 billion people, including more than 211 million people age 60 and above.据卫健委消息，约12.4亿人已完成新冠病毒疫苗全程接种。完成全程接种的60岁以上老年人超2.1亿人。Wang Huaqing, chief immunization planning expert at the China CDC, said that the emergence of Omicron has lifted the death rate for seniors to a record high in some foreign countries.中国疾控中心免疫规划首席专家王华庆表示，在一些国家和地区，奥密克戎变异株的流行使老年人的死亡率超过历史最高水平。"At present, we should not treat the COVID-19 disease as seasonal flu," he said. "Primary inoculation and booster shots are very essential for the elderly."“所以目前这种情况下，不能把新冠肺炎当做普通流感对待。”王华庆说，“没有接种疫苗的老年人要尽快接种，如果符合加强接种的人群，到了规定间隔时间，要尽快开展加强接种。”resolute 英 [ˈrezəluːt]; 美 [ˈrezəluːt]adj.坚决的，果断的epidemiologist 英 [ˌepɪˌdiːmiˈɒlədʒɪst]; 美 [ˌepɪˌdiːmiˈɑːlədʒɪst]n.流行病学家lax英 [læks]; 美 [læks]adj.不严格的，松懈的；粗心的；（肌肉）放松的；腹泻的；（语音）松（弛）的n.松懈inoculation英 [ɪˌnɒkjuˈleɪʃn]; 美 [ɪˌnɑːkjuˈleɪʃn]n. [医]接种；接木；接插芽

国际邮件引起全国警觉｜Nation raises caution on overseas packagesBeijing is facing increased epidemic control pressure as the city reported three new COVID-19 cases, including two locally transmitted ones, the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control said on Tuesday.北京市疾控中心18日表示，北京市新增2例本土新冠肺炎确诊病例和1例核酸检测阳性者，疫情防控压力加大。 The two newly confirmed cases are of the Omicron variant. They are the mother and colleague of the patient reported on Saturday in Haidian district who had contact with international mail from Canada.2例确诊病例均检出奥密克戎变异株，为15日通报的北京海淀确诊病例的母亲和同事，该病例自述近期曾接触过来自加拿大的国际邮件。The person who tested positive in a nucleic acid test is a migrant worker in the city's Chaoyang district, who arrived in Beijing in November.核酸检测阳性者是一位外来务工人员，于2021年11月来到北京朝阳区。The Beijing CDC confirmed the positive result on Tuesday and said that it was the Delta variant.2022年1月18日，北京市疾控中心复核该人员核酸检测结果为阳性，并检测出德尔塔变异株特异性突变位点阳性。"The city has conducted epidemiological investigations related to all of the cases," Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing CDC, said at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon. "All of the patients have mild symptoms."18日下午，北京市疾病预防控制中心副主任庞星火在新闻发布会上表示：“目前已对上述确诊病例和核酸检测阳性者开展流行病学调查，临床分型均为轻型。”Both districts have implemented a range of measures to control the virus. In Chaoyang district, an additional 35 nucleic acid testing sites have been opened to the public, said Yang Beibei, the district's deputy head.海淀和朝阳区均落实了一系列疫情防控措施。朝阳区副区长杨蓓蓓表示，朝阳区新增了35处新冠病毒核酸检测采样点。By 1 pm on Tuesday, Haidian had identified 29 close contacts of the district's two new cases and their test results are waiting to be examined.截至18日13时，海淀区共排查两病例密接29人，核酸采样结果待出。Haidian had launched its emergency response after the previous case was reported in the district on Saturday, when it launched mass nucleic acid testing. By Tuesday afternoon, 60,035 people in the district had been tested and all of them were negative.15日报告新增病例后，海淀区启动了应急响应并开展大规模核酸检测。截至18日下午，共采集60035人，结果均为阴性。Because the first cases of the Omicron variant in Beijing and Shenzhen were people who had contact with parcels from North America, the State Post Bureau said it has ordered stronger measures to ventilate and disinfect sites where items mailed from overseas are handled.由于北京和深圳的第一例奥密克戎病例均接触过来自北美的国际邮件，国家邮政局表示，要加强疫情防控政策措施，切实抓好国际邮件快件处理场所消毒通风等工作。Postal workers must wear protective equipment, receive booster shots and undergo regular testing, it said onthe website. International packages must be isolated, cleaned and held for a waiting period to ensure they are free from the virus.国家邮政局在其网站上表示，邮件快件揽投人员应当全程规范佩戴口罩，尽快完成加强针接种并定期进行核酸检测。必须对进口国际邮件快件进行隔离、清洁并在消毒后静置，以确保该邮件没有携带病毒。Zhang Liubo, chief disinfection expert of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said: "The virus can stay alive for seven days, even longer since the northern hemisphere is in winter and experiencing low temperatures. However, not all the parcels with positive test results are infectious. They can be infectious only when the virus is alive."中国疾病预防控制中心消毒学首席专家张流波表示：“北半球目前正是寒冬季节，储运过程温度低，飞机货仓气温也很低，有利于病毒存活，所以病毒存活七天甚至更长时间是有可能的。不是所有的新冠核酸检测阳性的物品，都有具有传染性。只有物品上面的病毒具有活性，人接触时才能有可能被感染。”Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan has stressed a quick response and swift containment of clusters of COVID-19 cases as Spring Festival approaches.春节临近，国务院副总理孙春兰强调，应尽早扑灭聚集性疫情。epidemiological 英 [ˌepɪˌdi:mɪə'lɒdʒɪkl]；美 [ˌepɪˌdimɪr'lɒdʒɪkl]adj. 流行病学nucleic acid 英 [nju:ˌkli:ɪkˈæsɪd]；美 [nuˌkliɪkˈæsɪd]n. 核酸parcel英[ˈpɑːsl]；美[ˈpɑːrsl]n.包袱，包裹;（土地的）一块;一批，一群;（货物的）一宗ventilate英 [ˈventɪleɪt]；美 [ˈventɪleɪt]vt. 使通风;通风;公开;公开讨论cluster英 [ˈklʌstə(r)]；美 [ˈklʌstər]n. 团，群，簇;〈语音〉辅音从v. 聚集

Eating leafy greens could help prevent macular degeneration Westmead Institute for Medical Research (Australia), October 13, 2021    A new study has shown that eating vegetable nitrates, found mainly in green leafy vegetables and beetroot, could help reduce your risk of developing early-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research interviewed more than 2,000 Australian adults aged over 49 and followed them over a 15-year period. The research showed that people who ate between 100 to 142 mgs of vegetable nitrates each day had a 35% lower risk of developing early AMD than people who ate less than 69mgs of vegetable nitrates each day. Lead Researcher Associate Professor Bamini Gopinath from the Westmead Institute and the University of Sydney said the link between vegetable nitrates and macular degeneration could have important implications. "This is the first time the effects of dietary nitrates on macular degeneration risk has been measured. "Essentially we found that people who ate 100 to 142 mgs of vegetable nitrates every day had a reduced risk of developing early signs of macular degeneration compared with people who ate fewer nitrates. "If our findings are confirmed, incorporating a range of foods rich in dietary nitrates - like green leafy vegetables and beetroot - could be a simple strategy to reduce the risk of early macular degeneration," Associate Professor Gopinath said. Spinach has approximately 20mg of nitrate per 100g, while beetroot has nearly 15mg of nitrate per 100g. The research did not show any additional benefits for people who exceeded 142mgs of dietary nitrate each day. It also did not show any significant connections between vegetable nitrates and late stage AMD, or between non-vegetable nitrates and AMD risk. One in seven Australians over 50 have some signs of macular degeneration. Age is the strongest known risk factor and the disease is more likely to occur after the age of 50. There is currently no cure for the disease. The research compiled data from the Blue Mountains Eye Study, a benchmark population-based study that started in 1992. It is one of the world's largest epidemiology studies, measuring diet and lifestyle factors against health outcomes and a range of chronic diseases. "Our research aims to understand why eye diseases occur, as well as the genetic and environmental conditions that may threaten vision," Associate Professor Gopinath concluded.     Research review shows intermittent fasting works for weight loss, health changes University of Illinois Chicago, October 13, 2021 Intermittent fasting can produce clinically significant weight loss as well as improve metabolic health in individuals with obesity, according to a new study review led by University of Illinois Chicago researchers. "We noted that intermittent fasting is not better than regular dieting; both produce the same amount of weight loss and similar changes in blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation," said Krista Varady, professor of nutrition at the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences and author of "Cardiometabolic Benefits of Intermittent Fasting."  According to the analysis published in the Annual Review of Nutrition, all forms of fasting reviewed produced mild to moderate weight loss, 1 percent to 8 percent from baseline weight, which represents results that are similar to that of more traditional, calorie-restrictive diets. Intermittent fasting regimens may also benefit health by decreasing blood pressure and insulin resistance, and in some cases, cholesterol and triglyceride levels are also lowered. Other health benefits, such as improved appetite regulation and positive changes in the gut microbiome, have also been demonstrated.  The review looked at over 25 research studies involving three types of intermittent fasting:  Alternate day fasting, which typically involves a feast day alternated with a fast day where 500 calories are consumed in one meal.  5:2 diet, a modified version of alternate day fasting that involves five feast days and two fast days per week.  Time-restricted eating, which confines eating to a specified number of hours per day, usually four to 10 hours, with no calorie restrictions during the eating period.  Various studies of time-restricted eating show participants with obesity losing an average of 3 percent of their body weight, regardless of the time of the eating window.  Studies showed alternate day fasting resulted in weight loss of 3 percent to 8 percent of body weight over three to eight weeks, with results peaking at 12 weeks. Individuals on alternate day fasting typically do not overeat or binge on feast days, which results in mild to moderate weight loss, according to the review.  Studies for the 5:2 diet showed similar results to alternate day fasting, which surprised the study's reviewers. The subjects who participate in the 5:2 diet fast much less frequently than alternate-day fasting participants do, but the weight loss results are similar.  Weight loss with alternate day and 5:2 fasting are comparable to more traditional daily calorie-restrictive diets. And, both fasting diets showed individuals were able to maintain an average of 7 percent weight loss for a year.  "You're fooling your body into eating a little bit less and that's why people are losing weight," Varady said.  Varady added the review set out to debunk some myths regarding intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting does not negatively affect metabolism, nor does it cause disordered eating, according to the studies reviewed.  "Fasting people are worried about feeling lethargic and not being able to concentrate. Even though you are not eating, it won't affect your energy," Varady said. "A lot of people experience a boost of energy on fasting days. Don't worry, you won't feel crappy. You may even feel better."  The study review includes a summary of practical considerations for those who may want to try intermittent fasting. Among the considerations are:  Adjustment time—Side effects such as headaches, dizziness and constipation subside after one to two weeks of fasting. Increased water intake can help alleviate headaches caused by dehydration during this time.  Exercise—Moderate to high-intensity endurance or resistance training during food abstention can be done, and some study participants reported having more energy on fast days. However, studies recommend those following alternate day fasting eat their fasting day meal after exercise.  Diet during fasting—There are no specific recommendations for food consumption during intermittent fasting, but eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help boost fiber intake and help relieve constipation that sometimes accompanies fasting.  Alcohol and caffeine—For those using an alternate day or 5:2 fasting plan, alcohol is not recommended on fast days as the limited calories should be used on healthy foods that provide nutrition.  There are several groups who should not intermittent fast, according to the studies. Those individuals include:  Those who are pregnant or lactating.  Children under 12.  Those with a history of disordered eating.  Those with a body mass index, or BMI, less than 18.5. Shift workers. Studies have shown they may struggle with fasting regimens because of shifting work schedules.  Those who need to take medication with food at regimented times.  "People love intermittent fasting because it's easy. People need to find diets that they can stick to long term. It's definitely effective for weight loss and it's gained popularity because there are no special foods or apps necessary. You can also combine it with other diets, like Keto," Varady said.  Varady has recently been awarded a National Institutes of Health grant to study time-restricted eating for 12 months to see if it works long term.   Antioxidants to prevent Alzheimer's disease A balanced intake of antioxidants could prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease. Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), October 13, 2021 Research conducted by the Ph.D student Mohamed Raâfet Ben Khedher and the postdoctoral researcher Mohamed Haddad of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) has shown that an oxidation-antioxidant imbalance in the blood is an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease, rather than a consequence. This breakthrough made by researchers under the supervision of the Professor Charles Ramassamy provides an avenue for preventive intervention: the antioxidants intake.  The research team showed that oxidative markers, known to be involved in Alzheimer's disease, show an increase up to five years before the onset of the disease. The results of this study, published in the Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (DADM) journal, suggest that oxidation may be an early marker of this disease that affects more than 500,000 Canadians. “Given that there is an increase in oxidative stress in people who develop the disease, we may regulate the antioxidant systems. For example, we could modulate the antioxidant systems, such as apolipoproteins J and D, which transport lipids and cholesterol in the blood and play an important role in brain function and Alzheimer's disease. Another avenue would be to increase the intake of antioxidants through nutrition”, says Professor Ramassamy.  Accessible biomarkers Unlike the current set of invasive and expensive tests used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, the oxidative markers discovered by Professor Ramassamy's research team can be detected by a blood test. These markers are found in plasma extracellular vesicles, which are pockets released by all cells in the body, including those in the brain.     The research team focused specifically on the "sporadic" Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of the disease which results primarily from the presence of the APOE4 susceptibility gene. This same form of the disease had been studied by the team for other early markers. “By identifying oxidative markers in the blood of individuals at risk five years before the onset of the disease, we could make recommendations to slow the onset of the disease and limit the risks”, scientists noted. This breakthrough brings new hope to Alzheimer's research. Once the disease is symptomatic, it is difficult, if not impossible, to reverse it.         Meditation training reduces long-term stress, according to hair analysis Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Germany), October 11, 2021 Mental training that promotes skills such as mindfulness, gratitude or compassion reduces the concentration of the stress hormone cortisol in hair. This is what scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and the Social Neuroscience Research Group of the Max Planck Society in Berlin have found out. The amount of cortisol in hair provides information about how much a person is burdened by persistent stress. Earlier positive training effects had been shown in acutely stressful situations or on individual days—or were based on study participants' self-reports. According to a study by the Techniker Krankenkasse, 23 percent of people in Germany frequently suffer from stress. This condition not only puts a strain on the well-being of those affected, but it is also linked to a number of physiological diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and psychological disorders such as depression, one of the world's leading causes of disease burden (Global Burden of Disease Study, 2017). Therefore, effective methods are being sought to reduce everyday stress in the long term. One promising option is mindfulness training, in which participants train their cognitive and social skills, including attention, gratitude and compassion, through various meditation and behavioral exercises. Various studies have already shown that even healthy people feel less stressed after a typical eight-week training program. Until now, however, it has been unclear how much the training actually contributes to reducing the constant burden of everyday stress. The problem with many previous studies on chronic stress is that the study participants were usually asked to self-assess their stress levels after the training. However, this self-reporting by means of questionnaires could have distorted the effects and made the results appear more positive than they actually were. The reason for such a bias: The participants knew they were training their mindfulness, and a reduction in stress levels was a desired effect of this training. This awareness alone has an impact on subsequent information. "If you are asked whether you are stressed after a training session that is declared as stress-reducing, even addressing this question can distort the statements," explains Lara Puhlmann, doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and first author of the underlying publication, which has now appeared in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. Factors such as social desirability and placebo effects played a role here. Unlike pharmacological studies, for example, in which the study participants do not know whether they have actually received the active substance or not, so-called blinded studies are not possible in mental training. "The participants know that they are ingesting the 'antidote,'" says Puhlmann. "In mindfulness research, we are therefore increasingly using more objective, i.e. physiological, methods to measure the stress-reducing effect more precisely." The concentration of cortisol in hair is considered a suitable measure of exposure to prolonged stress. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when we are confronted with an overwhelming challenge, for example. In that particular situation, it helps put our body on alert and mobilize energy to overcome the challenge. The longer the stress lasts, the longer an increased concentration of cortisol circulates around our body—and the more it accumulates in our hair. On average, hair grows one centimeter per month. To measure the study participants' stress levels during the 9-month training, the researchers, in cooperation with the working group of Clemens Kirschbaum at the University of Dresden, analyzed the amount of cortisol every three months in the first three centimeters of hair, starting at the scalp. The mental training itself was developed as part of a large-scale longitudinal study on the effects of mental training, the ReSource project, led by Tania Singer, scientific director of the Social Neuroscience Research Group. This 9-month mental training program consisted of three 3-month sessions, each designed to train a specific skill area using Western and Far Eastern mental exercises. The focus was either on the factors of attention and mindfulness, on socio-affective skills such as compassion and gratitude, or on so-called socio-cognitive skills, in particular the ability to take perspective on one's own and others' thoughts. Three groups of about 80 participants each completed the training modules in different order. The training lasted up to nine months, 30 minutes a day, six days a week. Less stress, less cortisol And it really showed: After six months of training, the amount of cortisol in the subjects' hair had decreased significantly, on average by 25 percent. In the first three months, slight effects were seen at first, which increased over the following three months. In the last third, the concentration remained at a low level. The researchers therefore assume that only sufficiently long training leads to the desired stress-reducing effects. The effect did not seem to depend on the content of the training. It is therefore possible that several of the mental approaches studied are similarly effective in improving the way people deal with chronic everyday stress. In an earlier study from the ReSource project with the same sample, the researchers had investigated the effects of training on dealing with acute stressful situations. In this study, the participants were placed in a stressful job interview and had to solve difficult maths problems under observation. The results showed that people who had undergone socio-cognitive or socio-affective training released up to 51 percent less cortisol under stress than those who had not been trained. In this case, they did not measure the amount of cortisol in the subjects' hair, but instead acute cortisolsurges in their saliva. Overall, the researchers conclude that training can improve the handling of acute particularly stressful social situations as well as chronic everyday stress. "We assume that different training aspects are particularly helpful for these different forms of stress," says Veronika Engert, head of the research group "Social Stress and Family Health" at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. "There are many diseases worldwide, including depression, that are directly or indirectly related to long-term stress," explains Puhlmann. "We need to work on counteracting the effects of chronic stress in a preventive way. Our study uses physiological measurements to prove that meditation-based training interventions can alleviate general stress levels even in healthy individuals."   Study: Moderate carbohydrate intake is a cardiovascular benefit for women Monash University (Australia), October 13, 2021 Women's heart health has been the focus of a recent study by Monash University, with researchers finding that proportional carbohydrate intake and not saturated fat was significantly associated with cardiovascular disease benefit in Australian women. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women. Poor diet is recognized as both an independent CVD risk factor and a contributor to other CVD risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and dyslipidaemia. The research found that in middle-aged Australian women, increasing the percentage of carbohydrate intake was significantly associated with reduced odds of CVD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Furthermore, a moderate carbohydrate intake between 41.0 percent—44.3 percent of total energy intake was associated with the lowest risk of CVD compared to women who consumed less than 37 percent energy as carbohydrates. No significant relationship was demonstrated between proportional carbohydrate intake and all-cause mortality. In addition, increasing proportional saturated fat intake was not associated with cardiovascular disease or mortality in women; rather, increasing saturated fat intakecorrelated with lower odds of developing diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity. The findings are now published in the British Medical Journal. The results contradict much of the historical epidemiological research that supported a link between saturated fat and CVD. Instead, the results mirror contemporary meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies where saturated fat was found to have no significant relationship with total mortality or CVD. While the cause of this inconsistency in the literature is unclear, it has been suggested that historical studies neglected to adjust for fiber, which is known to help prevent plaque from forming in the arteries. "Controversy still exists surrounding the best diet to prevent CVD," said Sarah Zaman, a former Monash University professor who is now an associate professor at the University of Sydney. "A low-fat diet has historically been the mainstay of primary prevention guidelines, but the major issue within our dietary guidelines is that many dietary trials have predominately involved male participants or lacked sex-specific analyses." She adds: "Further research is needed to tailor our dietary guidelines according to sex." The study's first author Sarah Gribbin, a Doctor of Medicine and BMedSc (Hons) student, says: "As an observational study, our findings only show association and not causation. Our research is purely hypothesis-generating. We are hoping that our findings will spark future research into sex-specific dietary research." The Heart Foundation, which is one of the study's funders, welcomed the focus on women and CVD, which has historically been under-researched. Heart Foundation manager, food and nutrition, Eithne Cahill, cautioned that "not all carbohydrates are created equal." "We know that quality carbohydrate foods such as vegetables and whole grains—including whole grain bread, cereals, and pasta—are beneficial for heart health, whereas poor quality carbohydrates such as white bread, biscuits, cakes, and pastries can increase risk," she said. "Similarly, different fats have different effects on heart health. That is why the Heart Foundation focuses on healthy eating patterns—that is, a combination of foods, chosen regularly over time—rather than a single nutrient or food. Include plenty of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, and heart-healthy fat choices such as nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking and a variety of healthy proteins especially seafood, beans and lentils, eggs and dairy."   Anti-cancer effects found in natural compound derived from onions   Kumamoto University (Japan), October 18, 2021   Research from Kumamoto University, Japan has found that a natural compound isolated from onions, onionin A (ONA), has several anti-ovarian cancer properties. This discovery is a result of research on the effects of ONA on a preclinical model of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) both in vivo and in vitro. This research comes from the same group that found ONA suppressed pro-tumor activation of host myeloid cells.   According to a 2014 review of cancer medicines from the World Health Organization, EOC is the most common type of ovarian cancer and has a 5-year survival rate of approximately 40%. It has a relatively low lifetime risk that is less than 1%, but that can increase up to 40% if there is a family history of the disease. A majority of patients (80%) experience a relapse after their initial treatment with chemotherapy, therefore a more effective line of treatment is needed.   Kumamoto University researchers found that ONA has several effects on EOC. The group's in vitro experiments showed that EOCs, which usually proliferate in the presence of pro-tumor M2 macrophages, showed inhibited growth after introduction of ONA. This was thought to be due to ONAs influence on STAT3, a transcription factor known to be involved in both M2 polarization and cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, the team found that ONA inhibited the pro-tumor functions of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC), which are closely associated with the suppression of the anti-tumor immune response of host lymphocytes, by using preclinical sarcoma model. ONA was also found to enhance the effects of anti-cancer drugs by strengthening their anti-proliferation capabilities. Moreover, experiments on an ovarian cancer murine model that investigated the effects of orally administered ONA resulted in longer lifespans and inhibited ovarian cancer tumor development. This was considered to be a result of ONA's suppression of M2 polarized macrophages.   The research shows that ONA reduces the progression of malignant ovarian cancer tumors by interfering with the pro-tumor function of myeloid cells. ONA appears to activate anti-tumor immune responses by nullifying the immunosuppressive function of myeloid cells. ONA has the potential to enhance existing anti-cancer drugs while also having little to no cytotoxic effects on normal cells. Additionally, side effects in animals have not been seen. With a little more testing, an oral ONA supplement should greatly benefit cancer patients.     Risk of chronic diseases caused by exogenous chemical residues Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (China), October 13, 2021 Chronic diseases are main killers affecting the health of human. The morbidities of major chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperuricemia and dyslipidemia are as high as 10% to 30%, showing a gradually upward trend as well. More and more studies have shown that environmental pollution is a major health risk factor that cannot be ignored. However, the evidence for their relationship is equivocal and the underlying mechanisms is unclear. Recently, a research group led by Prof. Xu Guowang from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) discovered the risk of chronic diseases caused by exogenous chemical residues through metabolome-wide association study. Their findings were published in Environment International on Oct. 8. Researchers from National Institute for Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology were also involved in this study. The researchers discovered positive associations of serum perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) with hyperuricemia, and revealed the mechanism of the relationship between the exogenous chemical residues in the serum and the risk of chronic diseases at the metabolic level. The researchers investigated the relationship between 106 exogenous chemical residues and five chronic diseases in 496 serum samples. They revealed the metabolic perturbations related to exogenous chemical residues and chronic diseases by the metabolome-wide association study combined with meeting-in-the-middle approach and mediation analysis, and investigated the further potential underlying mechanism at the metabolic level. "PFASs were the risk factor for hyperuricemia," said Prof. Xu. Lipid species including glycerophospholipids and glycerides presented the strongest correlation with exposure and disease, which were not only positively related to PFASs exposure but also the risk factor for hyperuricemia. "We also found that key mediation metabolites mediated 25% to 68% of the exposure-disease risk relationship," Prof. Xu added. This study provides in-depth etiological understanding for the occurrence and development of diseases, which may be helpful for the early detection of the disease and the identification of early warning markers.

Scientists, scholars say remove politics from virus debate科学家和学者呼吁，反对病毒溯源政治化Greater international cooperation on combating the COVID-19 pandemic is needed and less politicization of scientific issues, such as tracing the origin of the virus that causes the disease, according to Chinese scientists and scholars.中国科学家和学者表示，要加强国际合作，共同抗击疫情。要减少科学问题的政治化，如病毒溯源。Gao Fu, head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said investigating the origin of the virus is a scientific question that should be answered scientifically.中国疾病预防控制中心主任高福称，病毒溯源是个科学问题，应该科学地回答。"Nobody should be blaming others. Probing the origin of the virus cannot be politicized," he said during the 23rd Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology, which started on Tuesday and ended on Wednesday.高福在周二至周三举行的第二十三届中国科协年会上说到：“谁都不要甩锅，病毒溯源不能政治化。”Gao said the pathogen may gain new properties by mutating and then breaching the body's immune system. Therefore, it is important to enhance international scientific cooperation based on openness, trust and collaboration, he added.高福称，病原体可能通过变异，破坏人体的免疫系统而获得新的特性。因此，加强以开放、信任和协作为基础的国际科学合作十分重要。Wang Hongyang, a noted oncologist and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the current public health challenges are unprecedented. "People are starting to realize that when a public health crisis hits, there is no such thing as a safe harbor," she said at the meeting. "We are all in this together, and only through international cooperation can we ensure global public health security."著名肿瘤学家、中国工程院院士王红阳说，当前公共卫生所面临的挑战是前所未有的。她在会上说：“人们开始意识到，当公共卫生危机来袭时，没有绝对安全的地方。我们都是命运共同体，只有通过国际合作，我们才能确保全球公共卫生的安全。”Wang said that since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has taken the "most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures" to curb the disease, allowing the country to go from being the most vulnerable to the virus to one of the safest nations in the world.王称，自疫情爆发以来，中国为遏制疫情采取了“最全面、最严格、最彻底的措施”，使中国从最易感染新冠病毒的国家走向世界上最安全的国家之一。China has also taken concrete actions to improve global public health in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, including monetary donations to the World Health Organization and providing vaccines and aid to other countries.中国同时也针对新冠疫情采取了具体行动，以改善全球公共卫生。包括向世界卫生组织捐款，向其他国家提供疫苗和援助。"Only by respecting human lives as the upmost priority, along with enhancing cooperation and mutual assistance, can the international community form a collective force to tackle emerging public health crises and embrace a … healthy future," she said.“只有把尊重人的生命放在第一位，同时加强合作和互助，国际社会才能形成一支集体力量，来应对新的公共卫生危机，让未来我们国家的环境更健康，”她说到。Xue Lan, dean of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, said that after the end of the Cold War, international cooperation on science and technology rapidly expanded, but in recent years, political issues between major countries have undermined this momentum.清华大学苏世民学院院长薛澜说，冷战结束后，国际科技合作迅速扩大，但近年来，主要国家之间的政治问题破坏了这一势头。"All of humanity has benefited from global cooperation in science and technology," Xue said.“全人类都受益于全球科技合作，”薛澜说。Now, there are politicians whose agendas are interfering with the collaborative consensus among scientists, namely, that science has no borders, and science and technology should benefit all mankind, he said."The international scientific community must adamantly push back against these political challenges," he said.他说，现在有的政客的议程正在干扰科学家之间的合作共识，即“科学没有国界，科学技术应该造福全人类”。国际科学界必须坚决反击这些科学政治化现象。Kazuki Okimura, former president of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, said science exchanges and cooperation, such as those between China and Japan, are important for training talented people, building ties and promoting progress.日本科学技术厅前任理事长冲村宪树说，中日科技交流合作对培养人才、中日友好交流、促进进步具有重要意义。From 2013 until the COVID-19 outbreak in December 2019, Japan invited over 10,000 Chinese students and researchers to the country for exchange programs, Okimura said. However, the pandemic has put the program on hold for over 18 months.冲村宪树说，从2013年到2019年12月疫情爆发期间，日本邀请了1万多名中国学生和研究人员到日本进行交流项目。而疫情已使该计划搁置了18个多月。Although COVID-19 is largely under control in China, the rest of the world is still suffering the impact of the coronavirus and its variants. As a result, international relations will likely witness major changes in the future, he said. "This means China-Japan cooperation is growing more important than ever, and we look forward to building a relationship with China based on mutual learning and win-win collaboration."虽然新冠疫情在中国已基本得到控制，但世界其他地区仍在遭受新冠病毒及其变异毒株的影响。因此，今后国际关系可能会发生重大变化。“这意味着中日合作比以往任何时候都更加重要，我们期待着在相互学习、合作共赢的基础上与中国建立友好关系。”In an online opinion poll conducted by CGTN Think Tank, 80 percent of global respondents believe that the issue of COVID-19 origin tracing has been politicized.在CGTN智库进行的一项在线民意调查中，80%的全球受访者认为新冠病毒溯源问题已被政治化。Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that the United States was politically manipulating the origin probe, a move that has received widespread opposition in the international community.外交部发言人赵立坚周三表示，美国借溯源搞政治操弄的做法已遭到国际社会的普遍反对。"We solemnly inform the US－in the face of facts, science and justice－political manipulation will not win hearts and is doomed to fail," Zhao said.赵立坚称：“我们正告美方，在事实、科学、正义面前，政治操弄不得人心，只会以失败告终。”

Gao Fu, the head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, says although COVID-19 vaccines are in short supply in China right now, the country's newly approved single dose vaccine will greatly help the world's most populous nation to achieve herd immunity. He also emphasizes the importance of worldwide cooperation on vaccine production and voices his support for the “vaccine passport.”

Today on The Leaders' Brief - Two Indian frozen butterfish packages, one Russian frozen salmon packaging sample, and two Argentinian frozen beef samples tested positive for COVID-19 in China, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Although several medical experts have ruled out the possibility of contamination through cold storage items, Chinese state-run Xinhua Agency had reported in October that investigations revealed the COVID-19 could spread through contaminated packages.  India's law ministry recently decided to link all forms of property registration with the national judicial data grid. The move is expected to increase transparency in all commercial property related matters and may allow for easier fast-tracking of commercial cases. The Indian government has been banking on commercial courts, which came into existence via the Commercial Court Act of 2015, to be an important pillar towards ease of doing business. Pakistan has reportedly revised a major bilateral gas pipeline project it had signed in 2015 with Russia. The 1122-km high-pressure LNG pipeline from Karachi's Port Qasim to Kasur in Pakistan's Punjab province was initially being developed under the 'build, own, operate and transfer' or BOOT model, with Russia spending 85% toward developing the pipeline.  About egomonk: Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedInegomonk is a global intelligence platform delivering asymmetric outcomes by bringing organizations closer to the communities they want to serve and the leaders they wish to influence. If you wish to collaborate with us then email us at contact@egomonk.com.

CDC: Interim Considerations for Infection Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings. Mullins et al. Coronavirus in pregnancy and delivery; rapid review.  Accepted article. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/uog.22014 [Internet]. 2020.   Chen H, Guo J, Wang C, Luo F, Yu X, Zhang W, et al. Clinical characteristics and intrauterine vertical transmission potential of COVID-19 infection in nine pregnant women : a retrospective review of medical records. 2020;6736(20):1–7. Wang X, Zhou Z, Jianping Z, Zhu F, Tang Y, Shen X. A case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in a pregnant woman with preterm delivery. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Zhu H, Wang L, Fang C, Peng S, Zhang L, Chang G, et al. Clinical analysis of 10 neonates born to mothers with 2019-nCoV pneumonia. 2020;9(1):51–60 Rasmussen et al. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Pregnancy: What obstetricians need to know. AJOG 2020 https://www.ajog.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0002-9378%2820%2930197-6 Wu et al. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA 2020. Published online. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130

CDC: Interim Considerations for Infection Prevention and Control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings. Mullins et al. Coronavirus in pregnancy and delivery; rapid review.  Accepted article. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/uog.22014 [Internet]. 2020.   Chen H, Guo J, Wang C, Luo F, Yu X, Zhang W, et al. Clinical characteristics and intrauterine vertical transmission potential of COVID-19 infection in nine pregnant women : a retrospective review of medical records. 2020;6736(20):1–7. Wang X, Zhou Z, Jianping Z, Zhu F, Tang Y, Shen X. A case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in a pregnant woman with preterm delivery. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Zhu H, Wang L, Fang C, Peng S, Zhang L, Chang G, et al. Clinical analysis of 10 neonates born to mothers with 2019-nCoV pneumonia. 2020;9(1):51–60 Rasmussen et al. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Pregnancy: What obstetricians need to know. AJOG 2020 https://www.ajog.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0002-9378%2820%2930197-6 Wu et al. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA 2020. Published online. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130

Discussing some of the details, data and relative information that we know as of 3/16/20 about the Coronavirus COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). ⏺Incubation period ⏺Presence on surfaces ⏺Trialed treatment options ⏺Testing ⏺Symptoms ⏺Epidemiological process since discovery This was a Facebook live recorded from my hotel room and unfortunately, I lost my WIFI signal abruptly so the broadcast was cut short. Here are some links of interest I spoke about, all free to download: Epidemiologic Features and Clinical Course of Patients Infected With SARS-CoV-2 in Singapore https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762688 Air, Surface Environmental, and Personal Protective Equipment Contamination by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) From a Symptomatic Patient https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762692 Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130 The effect of travel restrictions on the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/03/05/science.aba9757 Clinical characteristics of 50 466 hospitalized patients with 2019‐nCoV infection https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmv.25735 Lastly, I nice simulation on what social distancing can do to help reduce the surge of transmission: Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/?fbclid=IwAR1DV4qgP4RZIboPLkCl7ts_Y2s2Ei00l3608ZOHlC1wpbdDU3Y41y6U0Yo On Patreon ➡️https://www.patreon.com/seanpdent --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shtt/message

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. President Xi Jinping's speech at a recent symposium on news reporting and public opinion has generated discussions across domestic media outlets. According to Xi, the Communist Party of China's media work should guide the public, serve the country's overall interests, unite the general public, instill confidence and pool strength, as well as tell right from wrong and connect China to the world. Xi delivered the speech following his visits to the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television, the country's three major news providers. The People's Daily said in its commentary that Xi had directed the route along which the journalism industry should develop, and provided fundamental principles to follow. The Overseas Edition of the People's Daily said in an article that Xi's speech has clearly defined the responsibilities and missions of news reporting in a new era. Meanwhile, Xinhua News Agency published commentaries on three consecutive days expounding Xi's speech, vowing to stick to the Party's leadership and focus on positive coverage. Xinhua said following the Party's leadership was the fundamental principle for journalism, adding that the Party's leadership over the media would never change despite the development of time and transformation of media patterns. This is NEWS Plus Special English. A court in Beijing's Haidian district has accepted the lawsuit of a visually impaired man who was suing China Railway Corporation. He is asking for compensation and upgrades to the official train ticket website 12306.cn to make it easier for people like him to buy tickets online. The man, who asked to be identified only as Chen, said he brought the lawsuit in January, and the court accepted the case a couple of days before the Spring Festival. The website only provides graphic verification codes, which screen-reading software cannot interpret. Chen said he was unable to buy a ticket online at the end of last year during the Spring Festival travel rush. He had to ask for a day's leave from work and spend 110 yuan, roughly 17 U.S. dollars on taxi fares to buy a ticket at Beijing West Railway Station. Chen and his lawyer filed the lawsuit against China Railway Corporation, the website's parent company, as well as China Railway Information Technology Center and the China Academy of Railway Sciences, which designed and built the website. He is demanding written apologies, a promise to upgrade the website, payment of his legal fees, the transportation fees and compensation of one yuan. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Police in south China's Guangdong Province have detained 50 foreign drug users at a party in the city of Shenzhen. The public security bureau in the city received reports of drug-taking at an overpass culvert. Among the 490 people taken away for investigation, 118 tested positive for drugs, mostly marijuana. The police later placed 93 people in administrative detention for a maximum of 15 days. The detained include 50 foreign nationals. Police also detained two suspected drug dealers, both foreign nationals, on criminal charges. Police say foreigners accounted for over half of the detainees, which suggests a serious problem of drug use among foreigners in Shenzhen. The culvert, nicknamed "IKEA Bridge Culvert" due to its proximity to an IKEA store, is known for regular parties held by foreigners. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. The first few weeks after the Spring Festival holiday were expected to see a job-hopping frenzy among white-collar workers. According to a recent survey, only 5 percent of the respondents said they didn't want a new job. The survey was conducted by Zhaopin.com, an online recruitment agency. More than 54 percent said they had updated their resumes and were looking for new opportunities, compared with 48 percent in the same period last year. The survey polled more than 21,000 white-collar workers in China. It found that their confidence in career development had reached the lowest level in three years. This is especially so for those who work in State-owned enterprises and government-affiliated organizations, due to downward pressure on the economy. White-collar workers born after 1990 also have the lowest confidence in career development, and were active in job-hopping. Almost 75 percent of respondents born in the 1990s said they wanted to find, or had already found, new jobs, while more than 60 percent of those born in the 1960s wanted to do so. The industries with the highest numbers of job-hoppers were real estate and energy, in which more than 70 percent had already found or wanted a new job. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Beijing is to raise the thresholds for issuing its highest air pollution warnings, two months after smog triggered the city's first ever "red alerts". In future, the highest alert will only be issued when the daily average air quality index is forecast to exceed 500 for a day, 300 for two days in a row, or 200 for four days. At present, a red alert is issued when the index is forecast to exceed 200 for at least three days. Schools were closed and outdoor construction work was suspended when thick smog prompted Beijing to issue its first red alert last December. Beijing has issued two red alerts for smog since the start of this winter. The new criteria took effect at the end of March and were designed to standardize pollution alerts across Beijing, the neighboring city of Tianjin and four cities in the surrounding Hebei province. It will then expand to a larger area. The environmental protection bureau says the new move will in effect tighten the pollution controls for the outlying regions. Last month, Beijing announced it would close 2,500 small highly-polluting firms this year. It also plans to develop a network of "ventilation corridors" to help disperse smog. This is NEWS Plus Special English. More than 90 percent of Bachelor degree graduates from 75 universities overseen by the Ministry of Education found jobs in 2015, with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou the most favored cities. Annual employment reports released by these universities, most of which are leading ones in China, also show only two universities having seen employment rates below 90 percent with graduates with a master's degree. The government's Internet Plus strategy and support for entrepreneurship have given rise to flexibility in seeking jobs. At Peking University and Tsinghua University, a total of 2,500 graduates chose flexible employment, including launching a start-up, an increase of 550 people over last year. First-tier cities are still the top choices for graduates. Over 38 percent of Peking University graduates found jobs in Beijing, Shanghai and better-developed coastal areas, while only 13 percent went to Central, Northeast and Western regions. Statistics from Renmin University of China also showed a similar trend. Financial services are the most popular sector for graduates from China's top universities. Almost 21 percent from Fudan University and 11 percent of graduates from Renmin University of China landed in this sector. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access the program by logging onto NEWSPlusRadio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. Chinese scientists have sequenced the genome of the country's first imported Zika virus, helping with prevention and diagnosis. The success was achieved by scientists with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the provincial center in east China's Jiangxi Province. China confirmed the first imported Zika case on Feb. 9. The patient, a 34-year-old man from Jiangxi, developed a fever, headache and dizziness on Jan. 28 in Venezuela, before returning home on Feb. 5 via Hong Kong and Shenzhen. He has been discharged from hospital after a full recovery. The success has laid foundation for understanding the virus' variations as well as developing bacteria and reagents to diagnose the disease. In a related development, the entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau in east China's Zhejiang Province says it was conducting epidemiological studies and sampling 32 travellers a day after the province reported China's third Zika patient. It was confirmed that a 38-year-old man, who had traveled to the province from Fiji and Samoa, had the virus. The patient developed a fever and had been bitten by mosquitos. None of the 32 people that traveled with the patient have so far developed any related symptoms. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. More than 400 relics unearthed from a Chinese tomb are on display in Beijing. The rare discoveries from the tomb of "Haihunhou", or the Marquis of Haihun, are on show at the Capital Museum, and will be displayed for the next three months. Some items are being shown to the public for the first time. This is the second time that the relics from the tomb are on public display. Last year, an exhibition featuring 120 items from the tomb attracted some 180,000 visitors to the Jiangxi Provincial Museum. The tomb dates back to the Western Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago, and was unearthed in Nanchang City, the capital of east China's Jiangxi Province. It covers roughly 40,000 square meters and contains eight smaller tombs and a burial site for chariot horses. The tomb is thought to belong to Liu He, the grandson of Emperor Wudi. Liu was given the title "Marquis of Haihun" after he was deposed as emperor after only 27 days. Haihun is the ancient name of a very small kingdom in the north of the province. Excavation of the site started in 2011. The artifacts unearthed so far include a portrait of Confucius, almost 3,000 wooden tablets and bamboo slips, as well as a large number of bronze, gold and jade items. This is NEWS Plus Special English. （全文见周六微信。）

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Here is the news. The People's Liberation Army of China has made a historic reshuffle of its branches, as military reforms ordered by President Xi Jinping gradually unfold. During a ceremony held in Beijing, Xi announced the establishment of the PLA Army Headquarters, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force. Xi is also chairman of the Central Military Commission. The president says the moves are a key milestone in the modernization efforts of the Chinese military. Previously, the PLA's ground force did not have a headquarters, as its units were under the direct control of the Central Military Commission. The seven regional military commands were in charge of the detailed operations of ground units stationed within their jurisdictions. The Rocket Force's predecessor, the PLA Second Artillery Corps, was formed in 1966 to manage the country's strategic missiles. Its name was given by then-premier Zhou Enlai in an attempt to keep its true functions secret. The missile force made its public debut in 1984. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China's first domestic violence law may include emotional or psychological abuse and cover cohabitation in order to protect traditionally silent abuse victims. The new draft law noted that the country prohibits any form of domestic violence. Domestic violence is defined as physical or psychological harm inflicted by family members, including beatings, injuries, restraint or forcible limits on physical liberty as well as recurring verbal threats and abuse. An earlier draft, submitted in August, included only physical abuse, but many lawmakers have since argued that the definition was too narrow. China does not have a specialized law on family abuse, and the issue has remained in the shadows for a long time in a country where family conflicts are considered embarrassing private matters. As a result, victims are often afraid to speak out and, in many cases, are turned away by police. This is NEWS Plus Special English. A Chinese court has granted a man who spent more than 11 years behind bars after a false murder conviction more than 1.2 million yuan, roughly 200,000 U.S. dollars, in state compensation. Citing insufficient evidence, a court in central China's Hunan Province overturned the guilty verdict against Zeng Ai-yun, a former graduate student of engineering at Xiangtan University in July. Zeng was convicted in 2004 of murdering his graduate school classmate Zhou Yu-heng. Zeng had been sentenced to death three times by the same court in 2004, 2005 and 2010. The Supreme People's Court rejected the verdicts and ordered a retrial. Another classmate of the victim's, Chen Hua-zhang, was later found to be the real killer. Chen poisoned Zhou with diazepam on Oct. 27, 2003 as he was jealous of the attention Zhou enjoyed from their mentor. Chen deliberately laid a false trail and imputed the murder to Zeng, who was dating the victim's ex-girlfriend. Chen and Zeng were both arrested in Nov, 2003. Zeng was sentenced to death while Chen received life imprisonment. Chen was still sentenced to life imprisonment during the retrial and fined 178,000 yuan as compensation to the victim's family. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. Taiwan's education department has increased the quota of mainland students who want to study in a two-year program to achieve a bachelor's degree. The quota will be raised from 1,000 to 1,500 for the academic year of 2016 and 2017. The two-year program is specifically open for students who study in vocational schools but would like to proceed in higher education and obtain a bachelor's degree. Previously only students from southern provinces of Guangdong and Fujian were allowed to study in such programs in Taiwan. The department plans to add another four provinces as well as Beijing and Shanghai. The application will start in February. Compared with those in Europe and North America, colleges in Taiwan are considered a better option for vocational school graduates from the Chinese mainland. Taiwan colleges are known for the good education quality and lower tuition, as well as the convenience of being without language barrier. The new policy is a result of negotiation between the two sides after the historic meeting between President Xi Jinping and Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore. During the meeting, Ma suggested that the two sides allow more mainland students to study in Taiwan. This is NEWS Plus Special English. A trial run has begun for China's first domestically designed and manufactured magnetic levitation line in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. The maglev shuttles between Changsha's south railway station and the airport, with one stop in between. It takes around ten minutes to complete the 18-and-half-kilometer journey. According to the operator Hunan Maglev Transport Company, the line uses the "wind chaser" trains designed and manufactured by railway manufacturing giant CRRC in Hunan's Zhuzhou city. The 48-meter-long train can carry 363 people in three carriages, and achieve a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The domestically produced moderate-speed maglev line costs around 195 million yuan, roughly 30 million U.S. dollars, per kilometer, not including relocation fees. It is highly economical in terms of construction and maintenance costs. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. An official circular on reforming China's art and literature awards has urged that appraisals from ordinary people be included as an important parameter. The circular says appraisals from the public, artists and literati should be integrated with commercial indicators, alongside audience rating, box office and circulation. It notes that public popularity and whether the art or literature works features ordinary people's lives will be important indicators to be factored in during evaluation. The circular announces that artists or writers with notorious records or reputations will be barred from competing for awards. It also reveales that the existing 20 national art and literature awards will be reduced to 19, while a large number of their sub-categorized awards are downsized. The Ministry of Culture in April vowed to streamline the chaotic art and literature awards, blaming too many redundant awards ceremonies and appraisals for having caused irregularities and power-for-money deals. The ministry also vowes to regulate government officials' participation in competitions and awards and to forbid them for exerting any influence during award appraisals. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. You can access the program by logging onto NEWSPlusRadio.cn. You can also find us on our Apple Podcast. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. A 90-minute documentary about Confucius has been screened on China Central Television. The documentary was broadcast on CCTV 10, the science and education channel of the state TV. It was produced by CCTV, in cooperation with Britain's Lion TV, China International Television Corporation and the Dazhong News Group. The program told of the life of Confucius, as well as his impact on Chinese history. It was the first documentary about Confucius made by China and a foreign company. Production took two years. The documentary is comprised of six parts, namely, the man, the legend, the philosophy, the master, the inheritance and the present day. Preparation is underway for a 300-minute domestic edition of documentary in six parts. Born near the present-day town of Qufu in east China's Shandong Province, Confucius lived between 551 BC and 479 BC. He founded a school of thought that influenced later generations and became known as Confucianism. He is believed to be the first person to set up private schools in China and enroll students from all walks of life, including the poor. Confucius is regarded as a symbol of China's culture and intellectuals. There are around 1,300 Confucius temples in China and overseas. This is NEWS Plus Special English. The number of gold coins and plates unearthed from an east China ancient tomb has increased to 378, after archaeologists found another 68 pieces recently. The new finds include 20 gold plates around 22 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide. Archaeologists say it is the largest discovery of gold coins in any Han Dynasty tomb. The gold coins, most of which weigh around 250 grams each, were unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, in Nanchang City, the capital of east China's Jiangxi Province. The discovery supports the theory that China had significant gold reserve in the Western Han Dynasty. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. A film adaptation of the best-selling novel Gui Chui Deng, or "Ghost Blowing Out The Light", has received critical acclaim for its spectacular depiction of tomb raiders and afterlife. Industry sources say the scenes in "Mojin, The Lost Legend" could be an indication that the country's cinema regulators are loosening up on previously forbidden areas. "Ghost Blowing Out The Light" is a fantasy novel written by Zhang Muye about two grave robbers seeking hidden treasures. It was first published online in 2006 and quickly became the bestselling online novel in China with an estimated six million readers. When it was published in print form later the same year, it went on to sell over 500,000 copies. The novel is widely regarded as one of China's most popular works of fantasy. However, turning the work into a film script posed a massive challenge for the producers, Wanda, Huayi Brothers and Enlighten Media. According to an unwritten rule in China's movie regulations, ghosts cannot be portrayed on in movies, and raiding tombs is an illegal activity that should not be presented. However these were the two key elements which had fascinated fans. Coincidently, just three months ago, "Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe", the first feature movie based on some parts of the novel, was fiercely criticized by fans for excessive rewriting of the story. In the movie made by LeTV, ghosts are portrayed as alien creatures who came to earth thousands of years ago. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Second-hand smoke exposure has dropped in China despite an increase of 15 million smokers in the past five years. A domestic smoking report has found that compared with 2010, the second-hand smoking exposure rate fell from 35 percent to 17 percent in primary and middle schools, and from 55 percent to 38 percent in government buildings. The report was released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Second-hand smoking also dropped in workplaces, restaurants, public transport vehicles and medical institutions. Chinese smoking population has increased to 316 million, or 28 percent of the total targeted population. The smoking rate was 52 percent for males and almost 3 percent for females. That is the end of this edition of NEWS Plus Special English. To freshen up your memory, I'm going to read one of the news items again at normal speed. Please listen carefully. That is the end of today's program. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing. 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