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The deaths occurred near the Karzinga Channel, a waterway connecting Lake Edward and Lake George in Queen Elizabeth National Park, an area frequented by tourists near Uganda's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
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It is believed that the animals died after drinking water from the channel. |
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這起動物死亡事件的發生地點鄰近卡津加運河，這條運河連接了伊莉莎白女王國家公園裡的愛德華湖與喬治湖，當地是遊客往來頻繁的觀光地區，鄰近烏干達與剛果民主共和國邊界。據信那些動物因飲用來自運河的水而死亡。 |
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The first evidence of an outbreak was noticed in June when dozens of hippos began dying after showing symptoms of anthrax. |
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Further testing of samples taken from the dead animals confirmed the presence of the virus. |
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這場疫情最早的證據在六月即受到注意，當時有數十頭河馬都在出現炭疽熱的症狀之後死亡。取自動物屍體的樣本經過進一步檢驗後，證實了炭疽病毒的存在。 |
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"Hippos remain the most affected animals since Uganda first suffered this strain in the 1950s," said Moses Mapesa, executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, adding that the strains seem to thrive in water. |
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烏干達野生動物管理局總幹事莫瑟斯．馬培薩說：「自從烏干達在一九五○年代首度遭到這種病毒入侵，河馬就一直都是最容易受害的動物。」他接著指出，這種病毒株似乎能夠在水中繁殖。 |
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Authorities fear that the virus will jump to other species. |
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An outbreak in 2004 that killed more than 300 hippos spread to birds, lions and other animals that scavenged the carcasses of the infected hippos. |
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有關單位擔心這種病毒可能會跨越感染其他物種。二○○四年一場造成三百多頭河馬暴斃的疫情，就擴散央及鳥類、獅子以及其他吃受感染的河馬屍體的動物。 |
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Mapesa said that he has seen no indication that the disease has spread outside of Uganda's borders. |
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So far, there have been no confirmed cases of human infection, although it is rumored that five people had died after eating meat from infected animals. |
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馬培薩表示，他還沒有看到任何跡象顯示這種疾病傳播至烏干達境外。目前也沒有人類感染的確診病例，但謠傳有五個人因為吃了染病動物的肉而死亡。 |
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"We have no evidence yet," said Nicholas K. Kauta, head of the nation's anthrax task force. |
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"We have heard such reports, but the affected families in communities living near the now-endangered area are concealing information by not reporting to health authorities for fear of being arrested for poaching." |
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該國的炭疽熱工作小組領導人尼可拉斯．庫塔說：「我們目前還沒有證據。我們聽過這種通報，但危險地區內這些受到影響的家庭都隱匿資訊，不願通報衛生機構，因為他們害怕會因盜獵罪名遭到逮捕。」 |
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Kauta added that the task force will not arrest anyone who has been sickened from eating meat from animal carcasses. |
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庫塔接著指出，炭疽熱工作小組不會逮捕因為吃了動物屍體而罹病的民眾。 |
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"We know hippo and buffalo meat is very attractive, and many people when they find these animals dead, they just devour the carcass, something which is dangerous because they would be eating contaminated meat," he said. |
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「我們知道河馬與野牛的肉非常吸引人。許多人只要發現這些動物死亡，就會取其畜體大快朵頤一番；但這麼做非常危險，因為他們可能吃下遭到感染的肉，」他說。 |
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