Global cooperation key to eradicating deadly pig virus: UN agency

20 July 2020

Health?UN

A disease that may kill every pig it infects and for which there is no effective vaccine, can be eradicated if more countries continue to work together to limit its spread, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday.

The joint appeal from the?FAO?and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), comes amid an escalation of African Swine Fever (ASF) that has caused massive losses in pig populations.

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ：聯(lián)合國糧農(nóng)組織

World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)：國際獸疫局?International Epizootic Office

African Swine Fever (ASF) :非洲豬瘟

Spreading risk

"In this globalised world, where diseases can spread rapidly across borders, timely sharing of latest scientific information, international collaboration and notification of ASF are needed to prevent?transboundary spread and minimise impact", said FAO Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo.

transboundary ：trans-boundary 跨界

Today, the virus – which cannot infect people, but which “may cause up to 100 per cent mortality in pigs” - has affected more than 50 countries from sub-Saharan African?nations to Europe, Asia and the Pacific.

sub-Saharan adj. /?s?b s??hɑ?r?n/ ?撒哈拉沙漠以南（非洲地區(qū)）的?? sub-Saharan Africa 非洲撒哈拉沙漠以南的地區(qū)

Most popular meat in the world

There are serious concerns about the economic impact of the disease, since pork is the most consumed meat in the world, representing more than a third of global meat consumption, according to FAO.

In a statement, FAO said that in partnership with OIE, its?initiative?for the Global Control of African Swine Fever sought to?foster?partnerships that can strengthen control measures and to minimise the impact of the disease.

Foster：1.to encourage sth to develop 促進；助長；培養(yǎng)；鼓勵??The club's aim is to foster better relations within the community. 俱樂部的宗旨是促進團體內部的關系。

2.??代養(yǎng)，撫育，照料（他人子女一段時間）

Both organisations highlighted however that many countries affected by the virus “l(fā)ack sufficient human, financial or technical resources to rapidly detect, respond and contain” animal diseases.

Transparent reporting

“Coordinated actions as part of the Global Initiative should take place alongside maintaining transparency regarding reporting of animal diseases and investing in strong and resilient animal health systems”, they said.

Recommended measures include improving the capability of countries to prevent, respond and eradicate the virus by adopting agreed international standards and best practices based on the latest science.

Risk communication “will be a crucial element to effectively address risk pathways and high-risk practices”, FAO and OIE noted.

They also urged countries to establish an effective method for the global control of the disease, while also ensuring support for businesses.

“Today, 51 countries are affected by African Swine Fever,” said Dr Matthew Stone, OIE Deputy Director General for International Standards and Science. “Amid the difficult situation posed by?COVID-19, (it) continues to spread, intensifying the current health and socioeconomic?crises."

intensify /?n?t?ns??fa?/??If you intensify something or if it intensifies, it becomes greater in strength, amount, or degree. 加強; 強化

Socioeconomic：socio-economic ?社會經(jīng)濟學的

原文鏈接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/07/1068711