[영어로 읽는 해외 토픽] 비행 중 에볼라에 걸리는 확률은?
(원제: How likely is it to Catch Ebola Midflight?)
Contagious disease can turn into a catastrophe when it spreads across the border through air travel. We often wonder if planes are hotbeds of dreadful diseases and once on board, no one will like sitting next to a sneezing or coughing passenger.This article will focus on how likely it is to get infected by Ebola virus midflight, with reference to the BBC News reports and experts’ opinions on the disease.
The world has gone through with a number of serious epidemics such as measles, pest, avian flu, swine flu, and Sars. Recently, the Ebola outbreak in Africa, a deadly virus spreading across the world, has instigated fear among the people around the globe. As of now, it is reported that more than 1,000 people have died from Ebola virus since it started in Guinea last March; the virus is now rapidly spreading to many countries in West Africa including Liberia and Nigeria.
Christine Pearson, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta notes that it does not increase the risks of getting infected by Ebola just by being on a plane and people are overgeneralizing that planes are more dangerous than other places. The reason behind it is ventilation system. According to John Oxford, a virologist at Queen Mary University, the plane ventilation systems let the air go from the ground to the ceiling and filter bacteria and viruses before recirculating the air, therefore, passengers should enjoy their flight letting their guard down.
Other experts also mention that unlike other infectious diseases like flu or colds, Ebola is not a respiratory disease; it is transmitted through bodily fluids (i.e. blood, saliva, etc.), so it’s relatively hard to catch the virus. So rather than getting annoyed by co-passenger’s coughing or sneezing, make sure you wash your hands with hot water and soap frequently and carry alcohol gel with you to wipe any dubious fluids out, and believe the Ebola virus can be easily eliminated by doing so.
Although the chances of catching Ebola are quite slim during the flight, experts also warn that there haven’t been enough case studies in relation to Ebola, which makes it hard to conclude how threatening the disease can be in the future. What you should always remember is that basic hygiene is the key to reduce the chances.
One Stop Summing Up: Vocabs & Expressions
contagious 전염되는 / catastrophe 재앙(n) / spread 퍼지다(v) / across the border 국경을 넘어 / hotbed 온상, 번식지(n) / dreadful 끔찍한 / on board 탑승한 / sneezing 재채기하는 / coughing 기침하는 /passenger 승객(n) / epidemics 유행병, 전염병(n) / measles 홍역(n) / pest 흑사병(n) / avian flu 조류 독감 / swine flu 돼지 독감 / Sars 중증 급성 호흡기 증후군(사스) / outbreak 발생(n) / deadly 치명적인 / instigate 부추기다(v) / midflight 비행 중에 / overgeneralize 지나치게 일반화하다(v) / ventilation 환기, 통풍(n) / filter 걸러내다(v) / recirculate 재순환하다(v) / let one’s guard down 경계를 풀다 / respiratory 호흡(성)의 /transmitted by ~에 의해 전달되는 / bodily fluids 체액 / blood 피(n) / saliva 침(n) / relatively 상대적으로 / wipe out 닦아내다 / dubious 의심되는 / slim 희박한 / in relation to ~에 관하여 / hygiene 위생(n)