Threat (威脅) played down (note 1) after new swine flu virus find

A new swine flu virus (note 2) with human genes (基因) has again been found in mainland pigs at a Hong Kong slaughterhouse (屠殺場).

 

But the swine flu H2N2 is unlikely to cause a “major” human health risk, the Centre for Food Safety said.

 

Fifteen pigs we found infected with (note 3) “essentially a swine influenza H3N2 virus that has picked up some genes of human swine influenza virus”, the center said. They were detected (驗出) out of 1,000 samples taken from August to mid-October.

 

The same flu subtype was also found in the last round of surveillance programs, from May to July, in 16 pigs.

 

In both instances, the department said it had notified mainland authorities.

 

There have been no recent reports of such H3N2-infected swine in Guangdong province, however.

 

Flu expert Malik Peiris said the H3N2 subtype seen in the pigs is not the same swine-originated new H3N2 that has infected (感染) seven people in the United States since July.

 

The US Centers for Diseasse Control and Prevention said earlier that while the infections have been mainly mild (溫和的), they are being closely monitored (note 4).

 

Dr Nancy Cox, head of the Atlanta-based agency’s influenza division, said a seed (種子) strain for a vaccine that would protect against the virus has already been developed and given to manufacturers.

 

The World Health Organization also said that for pandemic preparedness purposes (note 5), it has developed and made available two candidate vaccine virused.

 

All pigs coming from the mainland and slaughtered centrally in the Sheung Shui slaughterhouse before they are taken to Hong Kong markets.

 

A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said the infected pigs were destroyed.

 

However, abattoir (屠房) workers have not been checked for the presence of the virus, the spokesman revealed.

 

(note 1) played down=清淡處理 (minimize the importance of; make little of)

Victor played down Julian’s defection to another school to protect other teachers’ morale=Victor低調處理Julian轉校的情況,避免影響其他老師的情緒

Play the host=主人

Play along with=參與,與人合作

Play ball=開始,著手,正正當當做,光明正大地行動

Play both ends against the middle=腳踏兩條船;兩頭賣弄,從中漁利

 

(note 2) swine flu virus=豬流感病毒

Viral=含病毒的,病毒所致的

Swine=豬, 卑鄙下流的傢伙 (a person regarded as brutish or contemptible)

 

(note 3) infected with=受感染

Infect=傳染,散佈病毒,侵染

Infected area [zone]=傳染病流行區 [地帶]

Donald Tsang’s courage infected his followers=Donald Tsang 的勇氣激勵了後來人

 

(note 4) closely monitored=嚴謹監控

 

(note 5) for pandemic preparedness purposes=目的是為了避免疾病流行全國做好準備

Pandemic=傳染性的,流行性的 (widespread; general)