德爾塔變異毒株已傳至74國 或成全球主流毒株 Delta variant of Covid spreading rapidly and detected in 74 countries

來源:中國日報網

最早在印度被發現的德爾塔新冠變異毒株已經傳播到了74個國家，這一毒株不但傳染性強，而且感染者更易發展成重症。目前英國超90%的新病例都感染了德爾塔毒株，美國感染該毒株的人數也在急劇增加。

A woman receives a vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a temporary Clalit healthcare maintenance organisation (HMO) centre, in Herzliya, Israel February 3, 2021. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The Delta variant of Covid-19, first identified in India, has been detected in 74 countries and continues to spread rapidly amid fears that it is poised to become the dominant strain worldwide.

在印度最先被發現的德爾塔新冠變異毒株已經擴散到74個國家，而且還在快速傳播。有人擔心德爾塔毒株可能會成為全球主流毒株。

Outbreaks of the Delta variant have been confirmed in China, the US, Africa, Scandinavia and Pacific rim countries. Scientists report that it appears to be more transmissible, as well as to cause more serious illness.

中國、美國、非洲、斯堪的納維亞和環太平洋國家均暴發了德爾塔毒株引發的疫情。科學家報告稱，德爾塔毒株似乎傳播力更強，而且導致更多重症。

In the US, according to the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb, cases of the Delta variant are doubling roughly every two weeks and account for 10% of all new cases, while in the UK it accounts for more than 90% of new cases.

曾擔任美國食品和藥物管理局專員的斯科特·戈特利布稱，在美國，感染德爾塔毒株的病例數量大約每兩周就會翻一番，佔據了新確診病例總數的10%。而在英國，超90%的新病例都感染了德爾塔毒株。

While health authorities around the world are collecting and sharing data on the spread of the new variant, the fear is that in countries in the developing world with less robust monitoring systems, the Delta variant may already have spread much further than has been reported.

儘管世界各地的衛生部門都在收集和分享關於這一新毒株的傳播數據，但是人們擔心在那些監測系統不發達的發展中國家，德爾塔毒株的傳播範圍可能比報告的要廣得多。

Ashish Jha, the dean of the Brown University』s school of public health in the US, last week called the Delta variant 「the most contagious variant we』ve seen so far」.

美國布朗大學公共衛生學院院長阿施施·傑哈上周將德爾塔毒株稱為「迄今為止見過的傳染性最強的變種毒株」。

The World Health Organization designated Delta as a variant of interest in April and a variant of concern on 11 May. It appears to cause more severe symptoms, according to evidence seen from India and elsewhere, including stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, hearing loss and joint pain.

世界衛生組織在四月份將德爾塔毒株定性為「待觀察變種」，5月11日又將該毒株定性為「須關切變種」。根據印度和其他地區所見到的證據，德爾塔毒株似乎會引發更嚴重的癥狀，包括腹痛、噁心、嘔吐、食欲不振、聽力喪失和關節痛。

Speaking on CBS』s Face the Nation, Gottlieb said it was inevitable that the Delta variant would become dominant in the US.

戈特利布在哥倫比亞廣播公司《面向全國》電視節目中表示，德爾塔毒株在美國成為主流毒株是不可避免的。

'Look, and it』s going to continue to spread. It』s concerning.… So this is more contagious. It appears that people who get this virus have higher viral loads and they have those viral loads for longer periods of time,」 he said. 「Right now in the United States, it』s about 10% of infections. It』s doubling every two weeks. So it』s probably going to become the dominant strain here in the United States.」

他說：「看起來，德爾塔毒株將會繼續傳播。這很令人擔憂。它的傳染性更強。感染這一毒株的人似乎病毒載量更高，而且攜帶病毒的時間也更長。目前在美國約有10%的確診患者是被德爾塔毒株感染的。感染德爾塔毒株的人數每兩周就會翻一番。因此該毒株很可能會成為美國的主流毒株。」

For now, however, the US – where 43.6% of adults are fully vaccinated – is sticking to its policy of protecting against the variant through encouraging vaccination, with little pressure for renewed lockdowns or similar restrictions.

不過，美國目前還是堅持採取鼓勵接種疫苗的政策來防止感染變種毒株，沒有顯露出重啟封鎖或採取類似限制措施的跡象。美國有43.6%的成年人已完成疫苗接種。

While concern is mounting in countries with well-developed health systems and vaccine programmes, most worrying is the potential impact of the Delta variant in poorer countries.

儘管衛生系統和免疫規劃完善的國家對德爾塔毒株的擔心與日俱增，但是最令人擔憂的還是德爾塔毒株對貧窮國家的潛在影響。

Hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo』s capital, Kinshasa, have been 「overwhelmed」 by a rise in Covid infections. The president, Félix Tshisekedi, said the country was in the midst of a third wave driven in part by the Delta variant.

由於新冠肺炎感染人數的增多，剛果民主共和國首都金沙薩的醫院已經「不堪重負」。總統菲利克斯·齊賽克迪表示，本國正在暴發第三輪疫情，德爾塔毒株就是元兇之一。

The Zimbabwean government announced at the weekend a two-week localised lockdown for Hurungwe and Kariba districts after detecting the Delta variant. The government said more than 40 cases had been recorded in the last three days.

在檢測出德爾塔毒株後，津巴布韋政府上周末宣布將在烏倫圭區和卡里巴區實行為期兩周的局部封鎖。津巴布韋政府稱，在過去三天已經記錄了40多例新冠確診病例。

英文來源：衛報

翻譯&編輯：丹妮