Measles (麻疹) breaks out in the Northwest

The U.S. is experiencing outbreaks of measles, a disease it had declared eliminated years ago, largely due to a drop in vaccination (接种疫苗) rates in some communities.

An outbreak in Washington state has sickened 23 people this month, mostly children under 10. Local health officials in Clark County, declared a public-health 【小题1】 on Friday. They also urged residents to track 【小题2】 symptoms and call ahead before heading to medical centers.

State officials announced the 【小题3】 of measles from the U.S. in 2000, thanks to a widespread vaccination program. But travelers entering the country with measles, as well as dropping vaccination rates in some states in recent years, has led to a rise in infection. Last year, there were a total of 17 outbreaks, 【小题4】 as three or more cases linked together, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New York and New Jersey 【小题5】 for roughly half of the 2018 cases. The Clark County outbreak began early last week with three confirmed cases and has since grown to 23 confirmed and two more 【小题6】. Of those cases, 20 were unvaccinated and the others are unconfirmed.

Measles is highly 【小题7】; the virus spreads through the air by coughing or sneezing, the CDC says. Early 【小题8】 include a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by tiny, white spots inside the mouth and the red, bumpy rash (疹子) that people 【小题9】 associate with the infection. Children younger than 5 or adults older than 20 are more likely to suffer from complications, according to the CDC.

In order to prevent the further spread of the outbreak, local health officials are posting times and places where residents may have been exposed. They are urging residents who haven’t been vaccinated to 【小题10】 whether they have been exposed and to take appropriate action.

The limitations of Digital Technology in the Fight against the Virus

Digital technology can help and has helped us in the fight against the novel coronavirus. But as coverage and understandable public interest - and concern - about the outbreak has intensified, it seems wise first to look at how the event is 【小题1】 some of technology's limitations both in and of itself and how we interpret what it can do for us.

Three themes emerge.

Technology is not immediate. There is a(n) 【小题2】 to believe that the recent rapid advances in processing power, algorithmic (运算法则的)development, machine learning and artificial intelligence can now 【小题3】 almost instant answers to everything. The digital landscape has changed massively since the SARS outbreak in 2003. But while we may be able to do things more【小题4】, some things still take time and that is particularly true of a virus. There is no one size fits all here and, indeed, there are real dangers in believing that one analytical strategy and its particular use can be applied universally.

Second, as viruses spread and 【小题5】, so do the data sets around them. We are not dealing with a situation of simple 'garbage in, garbage out' but rather one where new information is emerging daily and there is the further【小题6】that there were delays in early reporting of the outbreak. That means the results even the wisest medical experts can produce are also going to change. Also, as you might 【小题7】 , their methodologies (方法论)vary.

Third, a lot of data is being placed into the digital area, across social media, specialist sites and elsewhere. Here, the【小题8】 with 17 years ago is especially great. But the 【小题9】 behind various postings are many. Anyone might be able to access the data via a web browser - and its free availability is laudable (值得称赞的)-but its intended audiences can be very different. In some cases, experts are looking to inform the public but in seems to others they are looking to contribute to and【小题10】the debate taking place among themselves. These goals are laudable and necessary, but they do not always coexist harmoniously.

The human body can tolerate only a small range of temperature, especially when the person is engaged in vigorous activity. Heat 【小题1】 usually occur when large amounts of water and/or salt are lost through oversweating following exhausting exercise. When the body becomes overheated and cannot 【小题2】 this overheatedness, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are possible.

Heat exhaustion is generally 【小题3】 by sweaty skin, tiredness, sickness, dizziness, plentiful sweating, and sometimes fainting, resulting from a(n) 【小题4】 intake of water and the loss of fluids. First aid treatment for this condition includes having the victim lie down, 【小题5】 the feet 8 to 12 inches, applying cool, wet cloths to the skin, and giving the victim sips of salt water (1 teaspoon per glass, half a glass every 15 minutes) over a 1-hour period.

Heat stroke is much more serious; it is a(n) 【小题6】 life-threatening situation. The characteristics of heat stroke are a high body temperature (which may reach 106° F or more); a rapid pulse; hot, dry skin; and a blocked sweating 【小题7】. Victims of this condition may be unconscious, and first-aid measures should be 【小题8】 at quickly cooling the body. The victim should be placed in a tub of cold water or 【小题9】 sponged with cool water until his or her temperature is sufficiently lowered. Fans or air conditioners will also help with the cooling 【小题10】. Care should be taken, however, not to over-chill the victim once the temperature is below 102° F.