Briefing to Executive Board on Zika Situation
有关寨卡病毒情况向执行委员会的通报

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization
世卫组织总干事 陈冯富珍博士

Geneva, Switzerland
瑞士日内瓦

28 January 2016
2016年1月28日

Distinguished members of the Board, representatives of Member States, ladies and gentlemen,
尊敬的委员会委员、各位会员国代表、女士们、先生们：

Welcome to this briefing on the Zika situation. I will give you a brief history of this disease and explain why WHO is so deeply concerned.
欢迎前来参加寨卡病毒情况通报会。我将概述一下此病的历史由来，解释为什么世卫组织要给予如此深切的关注。

The Zika virus was first isolated in 1947 from a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda. Its historical home has been in a narrow equatorial belt stretching across Africa and into equatorial Asia.
寨卡病毒最初是1947年从乌干达的寨卡森林的猴子身上分离出来的。它的历史家园始终位于从非洲伸展到亚洲赤道地区的一个狭窄的赤道带。

For decades, the disease, transmitted by the Aedes genus of mosquito, slumbered, affecting mainly monkeys. In humans, Zika occasionally caused a mild disease of low concern.
几十年来，寨卡病经由伊蚊属蚊虫传播，悄无声息，主要感染猴子。在人身上，寨卡病毒有时会引起人们很少关注的轻微疾病。

In 2007, Zika expanded its geographical range to cause the first documented outbreak in the Pacific islands, in the Federated States of Micronesia. From 2013-2014, 4 additional Pacific island nations documented large Zika outbreaks.
2007年，寨卡病毒扩展了其地理分布，在大平洋岛屿、密克罗尼西亚导致了第一次有案可查的疫情。2013-2014年，太平洋岛屿国家又记录了四次新的大规模寨卡病毒疫情。

In French Polynesia, the Zika outbreak was associated with neurological complications at a time when the virus was co-circulating with dengue. That was a unique feature, but difficult to interpret.
在法属波利尼西亚，在寨卡病毒随登革热传播时，会伴随发生神经并发症。这是个很独特的特点，难以作出解释。

The situation today is dramatically different. Last year, the virus was detected in the Americas, where it is now spreading explosively. As of today, cases have been reported in 23 countries and territories in the region.
当前的情况全然不同。去年，在美洲发现了寨卡病毒，目前呈暴发性传播。截至今天，该区域已经有23个国家和领土报告了病例。

The level of alarm is extremely high.
警戒级别极高。

Arrival of the virus in some places has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
在一些地方，伴随病毒而来的，是新生畸形小头婴儿，以及吉兰–巴雷综合征病例激增。

A causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth malformations and neurological syndromes has not yet been established, but is strongly suspected.
寨卡病毒感染与出生缺陷和神经并发症之间的因果关系尚未得到确认，但人们高度怀疑这一点。

The possible links, only recently suspected, have rapidly changed the risk profile of Zika, from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions. The increased incidence of microcephaly is particularly alarming, as it places a heart-breaking burden on families and communities.
二者之间的联系，仅在最近才受到怀疑，随即使寨卡病从轻微威胁迅速改变成为一种骇人的风险。小头症发病率日增，尤其令人震惊，因为它给家庭和社区带来了令人心碎的负担。

WHO is deeply concerned about this rapidly evolving situation for 4 main reasons:
世卫组织出于四个理由，深为关注这一迅速变化的情况：

The possible association of infection with birth malformations and neurological syndromes;
感染与出生缺陷和神经综合征的可能联系；

The potential for further international spread given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquito vector;
鉴于蚊虫媒介的广泛地理分布，可能进一步出现国际传播；

The lack of population immunity in newly affected areas
在新近疫情地区，人群免疫力欠缺；

The absence of vaccines, specific treatments, and rapid diagnostic tests.
缺少疫苗、特效治疗手段和快速诊断检测方法。

Moreover, conditions associated with this year’s El Nino weather pattern are expected to increase mosquito populations greatly in many areas.
此外，随着今年的厄尔尼诺气候模式，种种条件可能导致许多地区蚊虫激增。

The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty. Questions abound. We need to get some answers quickly.
我们高度关切，而不确定性的程度也很高。问题很多。我们需要迅速找出一些答案。

For all these reasons, I have decided to convene an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations. The Committee will meet in Geneva on Monday, 1 February.
出于所有这些理由，我决定根据《国际卫生条例》召集突发事件委员会。该委员会将于2月1日星期一在日内瓦举行会议。

I am asking the Committee for advice on the appropriate level of international concern and for recommended measures that should be undertaken in affected countries and elsewhere. I will also ask the Committee to prioritize areas where research is most urgently needed.
我请委员会就国际关切的适当程度表明意见，并就应在受影响国家和其它地方采取哪些措施提出建议。我还请委员会划定须作为当务之急的研究领域。

Decisions concerning the Committee’s advice to me will be made public on our web site.
关于委员会向我提出的建议的决定，将在我们的网站上公布。

Thank you.
谢谢大家！