MSF says massive scale-up needed to contain fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Health

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. circumscribe / ˈsɜr kəmˌskraɪb / (v.) – to limit something
    Example:

    The project has a small budget, so it might circumscribe what the team can do.


  2. preventative / prɪˈven t̬ə t̬ɪv / (adj.) – relating to something that is done to stop a problem from happening
    Example:

    Wearing a seat belt is a preventative measure.


  3. concerning / kənˈsɜr nɪŋ / (adj.) – relating to something that causes worry, fear, or concern
    Example:

    The doctor said that the test results were concerning.


  4. eclipse / ɪˈklɪps / (v.) – to become much more important, successful, or impressive than someone or something else
    Example:

    The player’s scandal eclipses the team’s success in the recent game.


  5. scale up / skeɪl ʌp / (phrasal v.) – to increase the size, amount, or level of something
    Example:

    The government wants to scale up its recycling program.


Article

Read the text below.

Doctors Without Borders or MSF said that a massive scale-up was needed to contain the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record.


The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has spread so rapidly and so widely that it’s outpacing health authorities’ ability to respond, Trish Newport, an MSF emergency coordinator, said.


“We should be able to circumscribe the outbreak to go and do preventative activities all around where the outbreak has not yet started. So that zones, health zones, health areas, the Ministry of Health is ready to be able to respond. But we don’t have the capacity today,” said Newport.


Congo’s fast-moving Ebola outbreak has now killed over 2,300 people and become the deadliest outbreak of the disease on record in the Central African nation.


“Here, the speed, growth, and spread of this outbreak is much, much bigger. It’s much faster and spreads much bigger than the outbreak in 2014 or the outbreak in 2018. This is extremely concerning,” she said.


This is Congo’s 17th and largest Ebola outbreak. The toll eclipses that of the country’s 2018-2020 outbreak when 2,299 deaths out of 3,481 cases were recorded.


The latest data shows 101 new cases and 33 deaths reported in the previous 24 hours. Over 1,000 people have recovered, while 730 remain in hospitals or isolation.


The outbreak has infected and killed more people at a greater speed than any other outbreak in history. The World Health Organization has said it is on track to surpass the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the deadliest on record with more than 11,000 deaths.


Newport said that community engagement remained one of the biggest challenges, adding that members need to be more aware of the outbreak and know what the symptoms are as well as what to do if they fall sick.


“I will say that this outbreak is horrible. It’s horrible. It’s horrible for families. We see family members that come in who have had 15 people in their family die. We rapidly need to scale up to be able to prevent more deaths from happening, more families and communities from being impacted,” she said.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • MSF says health authorities are struggling to respond because the Ebola outbreak is spreading faster and farther than they can manage. Do you think it is better to prepare for a possible health crisis before it becomes serious, even if it costs a lot of money? Why or why not? Talk about a situation in your own life when acting early prevented a bigger problem. Discuss.
  • MSF says people in affected communities need to understand the symptoms of Ebola and know what to do if they become sick. What do you think is the best way to teach people important health information without making them afraid? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The article says that more than 1,000 people had recovered, while hundreds remained in hospitals or isolation. During a crisis, should people focus more on helping those who are already sick or on stopping the problem from spreading further? Why do you say so? In your experience, is it easier to solve a problem that has already happened or to prevent a new problem from happening? Why? Discuss.
  • MSF says a much larger response is needed because the outbreak is growing faster than health authorities can respond. What do you think an organization must do to recruit people and get enough resources? Would you be willing to join an organization like Doctors Without Borders (MSF)? Why or why not? Discuss.