新型冠狀病毒感染的肺炎疫情防控工作正在全國有條不紊地進行。它與季節(jié)性流感有哪些相似和不同？讓我們一起科學防控，抗擊疫情。

The novel coronavirus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has now spread to 12 countries, has much in common with seasonal flu. They are both viral infections, share similar symptoms and - crucially - can spread from human to human. In the midst of flu season in much of the northern hemisphere, telling the difference between the two will be vital in stopping its spread.

起源于中國武漢市的新型冠狀病毒已擴散至12個國家，與季節(jié)性流感有很多相似之處。它們都是病毒感染，有相似的癥狀，最重要的是，可以在人與人之間傳播。北半球大部分地區(qū)正處于流感季節(jié)，區(qū)分兩者對于阻止新型冠狀病毒的傳播至關重要。

coronavirus[k?,r?un?'vai?r?s]：n.冠狀病毒

Are the symptoms similar to that of the flu?

新型冠狀病毒感染癥狀與流感相似嗎？

Human coronaviruses, of which there are four, can cause respiratory infections similar to flu: while many symptoms are mild, both can lead to pneumonia and become lethal. However, the novel coronavirus is more serious than a "typical influenza infection," says Ian Jones, a professor of virology at the University of Reading.

人類冠狀病毒（一共有四種）可引起類似流感的呼吸道感染：雖然許多癥狀很輕微，但兩者都可導致肺炎并致命。然而，雷丁大學的病毒學教授伊恩·瓊斯說，這種新型冠狀病毒比“典型的流感感染”更為嚴重。

"This virus appears to go further down into the lungs than would generally be the case, therefore giving you symptoms of pneumonia: the lungs becoming flooded, they don't function very well and the patient gets into breathing difficulty."

“這種病毒似乎更容易深入肺部，因此會出現(xiàn)肺炎的癥狀：肺部積水，肺功能不佳，病人呼吸困難?！?/p>

Why is it more feared than the flu?

為什么它比流感更可怕？

While the mortality rates and symptoms of flu and novel coronavirus may end up being similar, humans' ability to fight off the viruses differ greatly.

雖然流感和新型冠狀病毒的死亡率和癥狀可能很相似，但人類抗擊病毒的能力卻有很大不同。

Humans have naturally built up antibodies to seasonal flu and scientists have developed annual vaccines to fight it. During a pandemic, which the new coronavirus has the potential to become, "there is no immunity in the population so you have potential for a global spread," warns Jones.

人類天生就會對季節(jié)性流感產(chǎn)生抗體，科學家們每年都會研制出流感疫苗。瓊斯警告說，這種新型冠狀病毒有可能成為流行病，“人們普遍對此沒有免疫力，因此有可能在全球范圍內傳播?！?/p>

antibody[??ntib?di]：n. [免疫]抗體

There is also a widespread familiarity with flu, which dampens concern. As with the Ebola epidemic and the Zika virus, both of which peaked in the middle of the last decade, fears around the new coronavirus are compounded due to a lack of knowledge over its nature.

人們對流感也很熟悉，這降低了人們的擔憂。正如同在2015年前后達到頂峰的埃博拉病毒和寨卡病毒，由于對其性質缺乏了解，人們對這種新型冠狀病毒的擔憂加劇。

Is it as easy to catch as the flu?

它和流感一樣容易傳染嗎？

Flu can spread from person to person from up to six feet away, largely caused by liquid emitted when the inflicted cough or sneeze. Those infected are usually contagious for around three days following the beginning of their illness, although this time-frame could stretch to over a week.

流感可以在相隔6英尺的人們之間傳播，主要是由患者咳嗽或打噴嚏時的飛沫引起。感染者通常在發(fā)病后三天左右具有傳染性，不過傳染期可能會延長至一周以上。

All this and more remains a mystery in regards to the new coronavirus. To understand the virility of the outbreak, Jones urges a focus on whether or not international cases lead to secondary infections. "If they don't," he explains, "it would suggest that the virus doesn't transmit quite so well: clearly all the people on the airplane (that traveled from an infected zone) didn't get it."

而對于新型冠狀病毒來說，所有這些仍然是一個謎。為了了解疫情的嚴重性，瓊斯敦促關注國際病例是否會導致第二代傳播。他解釋說：“如果沒有，那就意味著病毒傳播力減弱：很明顯，飛機上的所有人（從疫區(qū)起飛）都沒有感染?！?/p>

What you should do if you think you have it?

如果你認為患病了，應該怎么做？

Medical advice is similar across those countries with confirmed cases of the infection. In France,  authorities are asking those who think they are infected to call an ambulance rather than visiting a hospital, where they could potentially pass on the virus. Similar advice has been issued in China and Germany.

在有確診感染病例的國家，醫(yī)囑是類似的。在法國，當局要求那些認為自己被感染的人叫救護車，而不是去醫(yī)院，因為他們可能會把病毒傳給其他人。中國和德國也提出了類似的建議。

如何預防新型冠狀病毒？

冬春季是呼吸道傳染病高發(fā)季節(jié)，人員流動頻繁增加了傳染病的傳播風險。為做好新型冠狀病毒感染預防，北京市疾控中心提醒市民做好以下幾件事：

加強個人防護

避免前往人群密集的公共場所。避免接觸發(fā)熱呼吸道感染病人，如需接觸時要佩戴口罩；勤洗手，尤其在手被呼吸道分泌物污染時、觸摸過公共設施后、照顧發(fā)熱呼吸道感染或嘔吐腹瀉病人后、探訪醫(yī)院后、處理被污染的物品以及接觸動物、動物飼料或動物糞便后；不要隨地吐痰。打噴嚏或咳嗽時用紙巾或袖肘遮住口、鼻；加強鍛煉，規(guī)律作息，保持室內空氣流通。

避免接觸野生禽畜

避免接觸禽畜、野生動物及其排泄物和分泌物，避免購買活禽和野生動物；避免前往動物農場和屠宰場、活禽動物交易市場或攤位、野生動物棲息地等場所。必須前往時要做好防護，尤其是職業(yè)暴露人群；避免食用野生動物。不要食用已經(jīng)患病的動物及其制品；要從正規(guī)渠道購買冰鮮禽肉，食用禽肉蛋奶時要充分煮熟，處理生鮮制品時，器具要生熟分開并及時清洗，避免交叉污染。

杜絕帶病上班、聚會

如有發(fā)燒、咳嗽等呼吸道感染的癥狀，居家休息，減少外出和旅行，天氣良好時居室多通風，接觸他人請佩戴口罩。要避免帶病上班、上課及聚會。

及時就醫(yī)

從武漢等地外出旅行歸來，如出現(xiàn)發(fā)熱咳嗽等呼吸道感染癥狀，應根據(jù)病情就近選擇醫(yī)院發(fā)熱門診就醫(yī)，并戴上口罩就診，同時告知醫(yī)生類似病人或動物接觸史、旅行史等。

英文來源：CGTN

翻譯&編輯：yaning