听力文本

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

Health officials in Brazil have declared a state of emergency in several states.

They are also warning women to not get pregnant.

These extreme actions are the result of a recent rise in birth defects. About 2,400 babies in Brazil were born recently with extremely small heads.

The babies have a condition called microcephaly. Microcephaly causes severe brain damage. To date, 29 of these babies have died. The number of microcephaly cases in Brazil is about 10 times higher than what the country usually sees in a year.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explains on its website that there many causes of microcephaly. And the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement that the cause of the microcephaly outbreak in Brazil had yet to be determined.

However, the CDC says the link between a virus infection and microcephaly is being investigated.

The virus is called Zika. Zika is spread by mosquitos. Some babies in Brazil with microcephaly have tested positive for the Zika virus while others have tested negative.

The CDC says that Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus in May 2015. Since then, the virus has spread and has caused infections in many Brazilian states and other countries in Latin America.

According to other news agencies, health officials have reported many cases of microcephaly in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Reuters news agency reports that the Zika virus has been confirmed this year in Panama, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Suriname, Colombia, Guatemala and Paraguay.

Zika is also found in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The CDC has a webpage with information on Zika. It says that because the "mosquitoes that spread Zika virus are found throughout the world, it is likely that outbreaks will spread to new countries."

Symptoms of Zika

The CDC says the common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, headache, joint pain and red eyes. Zika causes mostly mild symptoms in adults. However, in newborns the disease can cause severe brain damage.

There is no vaccine or medicine to prevent or treat Zika. Travelers and especially pregnant women are advised to protect themselves by avoiding mosquito bites.

Health officials around the world are watching the situation closely.

I'm Anna Matteo.

词汇解释

1.microcephaly n. 头小畸型（复数microcephalies，形容词microcephalic）

They were being born with hydrocephaly, microcephaly, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and other complications.
他们出生患有脑积水，小头畸形，脑瘫，唐氏综合症以及其他并发症Zi^F)rEuiaXp|。

2.rash adj. 轻率的；鲁莽的；不顾后果的 n. [皮肤] 皮疹；突然大量出现的事物

He may break out in a rash when he eats these nuts.
他吃了这些坚果以后可能会长出疹子_BzANhYV^3t@3en7Cd。

3.newborn adj. 新生的；再生的 n. 婴儿

Mild jaundice in the newborn is common and often clears without treatment.
新生儿有轻微的黄疸较为常见，通常会不治自愈b8@ExOu)U.l)E^,u。

内容解析

1.Health officials in Brazil have declared a state of emergency in several states.

a state of emergency 紧急状态

Some counties in mid-west America have declared a state of emergency due to rainstorms and tornadoes.
近日，受持续的风暴和龙卷风影响，美国中西部的部分地区宣布进入紧急状态+hBSZap#%+[。

Last year during the dry season, smoke from the fires disrupted air traffic and closed airports in Bolivia, and the country declared a state of emergency in its Amazon territory.
在去年旱季的时候，山火引发的浓烟阻断了空中交通，玻利维亚的机场也因此停用，该国甚至在其亚马逊区域宣告进入紧急状态OwenDmJ^~84XVv=Y。

2.Health officials around the world are watching the situation closely.

watch closely 密切注意

So its promised price rise will be watched closely by retailers and manufacturers everywhere.
因此其提高价格的承诺将受到各地零售商和制造商的密切关注6%WEU.ABn%&J*W。

As the U.S. teeters closer to the brink of debt default, the political stalemate is being watched closely by its biggest foreign creditor, China. 正当美国越来越接近债务违约的限期，中国作为其最大的国债持有者也在密切关注美国的政治僵局x]s&Vd&DG4。

参考译文

这里是美国之音健康与生活方式报道wLPMC|eUKyORud。

巴西卫生官员宣布几个州进入紧急状态rY_jiimTkuj。

他们还警告妇女不要怀孕ceY[lnhLkL.(。

之所以采取这一不寻常的行动，是因为最近新生儿缺陷增多，最近巴西有大约2400名新出生的婴儿头部都异常的小DKQ!Vtu)!q2)0[_。

这些婴儿患有小头畸形症，这种病会导致严重的脑损伤，到目前为止已有29名婴儿死亡_r,sOIBpr_Gz(u]lS。目前巴西小头畸形症的病例是往年的10倍多6VM&|-P3!byj_*^5。

美国疾控中心（CDC）在其网站上解释了导致小头畸形症的多种原因，世卫组织在一份声明中称尚未探明巴西小头畸形症爆发的原因pwvZ(|#rP4gdGW]。

然而美国疾控中心称目前正在调查一种病毒感染和小头畸形症的关联(8Q-Nv1YL^LcP|hM=5=。

这种病毒叫塞卡病毒，巴西一些患有小头畸形症的婴儿已经检查出塞卡病毒阳性，也有婴儿呈阴性W_ZOwY[XtRYHRfbHzH5。

美国疾控中心称2015年5月报告了首个塞卡病毒病例，自那时起，这种病毒就开始传播并传染到巴西多个州和拉美其他国家Z[BmtEyTg.hikwCLoC8。

根据其他新闻机构的报道，卫生官员报道了里约热内卢和圣保罗出现多个小头畸形症病例u[7BIY-0L=YKi7T6]6。

路透社报道称巴拿马、委内瑞拉、萨尔瓦多、墨西哥、苏里南、哥伦比亚、危地马拉和巴拉圭都出现了塞卡病毒(4JBcs2w8=。

塞卡病毒也出现在非洲和东南亚@ZXkWG3I=iR|wfQ@s。

美国疾控中心一个网页上介绍了塞卡病毒，称因为“全世界都发现有传播塞卡病毒的蚊子，因此这一疫情可能会传播到更多国家SWl[D|hox!~W;Sh。”

美国疾控中心称塞卡病毒的常见症状是发热、起皮疹、头疼、关节疼和红眼，塞卡病毒对成年人引发的症状都比较轻7;goPnsJ)kd。然而，对于新生儿来说这种疾病可能导致严重的脑损伤Rp*QM*3cKtqBv6M。

目前没有预防或治疗塞卡病毒的疫苗或药物，旅行车尤其是孕妇应该保护自己免受蚊虫叮咬5V]IQT)1]IO=+=|d。

全世界的卫生官员都在密切关注这一情况**!br6Xs#[G~YVT]-Q_a。

我是安娜·马特奥*Jw&Fw5KBhgDno。