奥密克戎的妹妹
近日，一种被称为「奥密克戎的妹妹」的新冠病毒变异株已被英国卫生安全局（UKHSA）列为“正在调查的变异病毒”（VUI），目前已在英国发现400多例感染该变体的病例。这是一种名为BA.2的最新版本的奥密克戎毒株的亚变体。
无注释原文：
Omicron sub-variant BA.2 under investigation by UK health officials
The Independent
A sub-lineage of the Omicron strain of coronavirus has been formally designated a “variant under investigation” by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Some 426 cases of BA.2 have been detected in the UK so far, the UKHSA said on Friday, with the earliest dating back to 6 December 2021.
UKHSA said further analysis will be carried out into BA.2 to determine its characteristics and better understand how it might shape Britain’s experience of the pandemic in the weeks to come.
“It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so it’s to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge,” said Dr Meera Chand, incident director at the agency.
“Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant.”
The largest number of confirmed cases are in London (146) and the south east of England (97), the UKHSA said, adding that the original Omicron lineage remains dominant in the UK: “The proportion of BA.2 cases is currently low.”
Early indications suggest BA.2 has an increased growth rate compared to its viral predecessor, though further analysis is needed, UKHSA said.
Whereas Omicron rapidly displaced Delta following its emergence in the UK, BA.2 has yet to follow suit in dominating Omicron, which accounts for the vast majority of cases.
The Omicron sub-lineage has been spreading quickly in places like India and the Philippines and early signs show it is growing in Germany and Denmark, the latter having submitted the most sequences to date (6,411).
BA.2 has grown particularly fast in Denmark. It accounted for 20 per cent of all Covid cases in the last week of 2021.
Anders Fomsgaard, a researcher at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut (SSI), said he did not yet have a good explanation for the rapid growth of the sub-lineage, admitting he was puzzled but not worried.
“It may be that it is more resistant to the immunity in the population, which allows it to infect more. We do not know yet,” he told local media, adding that there was a possibility that people infected with BA.1 might not be immune from then catching BA.2 soon after.
“It is a possibility,” he said. “In that case, we must be prepared for it. And then, in fact, we might see two peaks of this epidemic.”
It is not yet clear where BA.2 emerged from, though the first cases were recorded in the Philippines.
Nor is it known whether the sub-lineage causes more severe disease than the original Omicron variant. “Data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate,” said Dr Chand.
Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London, speaking to Yahoo! News, said there is “likely to be minimal differences in vaccine effectiveness against BA.1 and BA.2”.
In a statement, the UKHSA said: “As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSA is carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant.
“We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed.
“More detail will be available in UKHSA’s regular Variant Technical Briefings.”
- ◆ -
注：中文文本为机器翻译仅供参考，并非一一对应
含注释全文：
Omicron sub-variant BA.2 under investigation by UK health officials
The Independent
A sub-lineage of the Omicron strain of coronavirus has been formally designated a “variant under investigation” by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
新冠奥密克戎（Omicron）毒株的一个亚变体已被英国卫生安全局（UKHSA）正式列为「正在调查的变体」。
lineage
lineage /ˈlɪn.i.ɪdʒ/ 表示“血统；世系”，英文解释为“the members of a person's family who are directly related to that person and who lived a long time before him or her”举个🌰：
She's very proud of her ancient royal lineage.
她为自己拥有古老的皇室血统倍感自豪。
strain
1）表示“压力；重负；重压之下出现的问题（或担忧等）”，英文解释为“pressure on sb/sth because they have too much to do or manage, or sth very difficult to deal with; the problems, worry or anxiety that this produces”举个🌰：
You will learn to cope with the stresses and strains of public life.
你要学会怎样应付公众人物生活的紧张和辛劳。
2）表示“（动植物的）品系，株系，品种”，英文解释为“an animal or plant from a particular group whose characteristics are different in some way from others of the same group”举个🌰：
Scientists have discovered a new strain of the virus which is much more dangerous.
科学家们已经发现了一种危险得多的新病毒。
📍此前9000名乘客因鼻拭子重复使用受害文中出现的例句：The health ministry confirmed this week that it had recorded two cases of the more infectious strain that was first detected in India. 卫生部本周证实，已发现了两例在印度首次发现的更具传染性的病毒株。
designate
designate /ˈdezɪɡneɪt/ 1）表示“命名；指定，划定（特征、用途）”，英文解释为“When you designate someone or something as a particular thing, you formally give them that description or name.”举个🌰：
There are efforts under way to designate the bridge (as) a historic landmark.
人们在努力把这座桥定为历史地标。
2）表示“指定，选定；委派”，英文解释为“When you designate someone as something, you formally choose them to do that particular job.”举个🌰：
Designate someone as the spokesperson.
指派某人为发言人。
📍designated作形容词，表示“指定的；特指的，划定的”。
📍类似的有个词dedicated，表示“专用的，专门的”（designed to be used for one particular purpose）举个🌰：
Such areas should also be served by dedicated cycle routes.
这些地区也应该可由自行车专用路线到达。
variant
表示“变体；变种”，英文解释为“A variant of a particular thing is something that has a different form from that thing, although it is related to it.”举个🌰：
The quagga was a strikingly beautiful variant of the zebra.
白氏斑马是一种极其美丽的斑马变种。
Some 426 cases of BA.2 have been detected in the UK so far, the UKHSA said on Friday, with the earliest dating back to 6 December 2021.
英国卫生安全局周五表示，到目前为止，在英国已经发现了大约426例感染BA.2变体的病例，最早的病例可以追溯到2021年12月6日。
UKHSA said further analysis will be carried out into BA.2 to determine its characteristics and better understand how it might shape Britain’s experience of the pandemic in the weeks to come.
英国卫生安全局表示，将对BA.2进行进一步的分析，以确定其特点，并更好地了解它将如何影响英国在未来几周内应对新冠疫情的经历。
“It is the nature of viruses to evolve and mutate, so it’s to be expected that we will continue to see new variants emerge,” said Dr Meera Chand, incident director at the agency.
该机构的事件主管米拉·钱德博士（Dr. Meera Chand）说：“病毒的本质是进化和变异，因此可以预见，我们将继续看到新的变异体出现。”
evolve
表示“（使）逐渐形成，逐步发展，逐渐演变，进化”，英文解释为“to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complicated form; to develop sth in this way”举个🌰：
The company has evolved into a major chemical manufacturer.
这家公司已逐步发展成一个主要的化工厂。
mutate
表示“（遗传物质等）变异，突变”，英文解释为“to develop new physical characteristics because of a permanent change in the genes. These changes can happen naturally or can be produced by the use of chemicals or radiation.”举个🌰：
These bacteria have mutated into forms that are resistant to certain drugs.
这些细菌已发生变异，对某些药物产生了抗药性。
“Our continued genomic surveillance allows us to detect them and assess whether they are significant.”
“我们持续的基因组监测使我们能够发现它们，并评估它们是否有影响。”
genomic
genomic /dʒɪˈnoʊ.mɪk/ 表示“基因组的”，英文解释为“relating to the complete set of genetic material of a human, animal, plant, or other living thing”举个🌰：
Human genomic DNA was analyzed.
对人类基因组DNA进行了分析。
surveillance
surveillance /sɜːˈveɪləns/ 表示“监视，盯梢”，英文解释为“Surveillance is the careful watching of someone, especially by an organization such as the police or the army.”
The largest number of confirmed cases are in London (146) and the south east of England (97), the UKHSA said, adding that the original Omicron lineage remains dominant in the UK: “The proportion of BA.2 cases is currently low.”
英国卫生安全局表示，确诊病例最多的是伦敦（146例）和英格兰东南部（97例），而在英国感染的仍然是奥密克戎毒株为主。“目前BA.2感染病例的比例很低。”
dominant
1）表示“首要的；占支配地位的；占优势的；显著的”，英文解释为“more important, powerful or noticeable than other things”举个🌰：
The firm has achieved a dominant position in the world market.
这家公司在国际市场上占有举足轻重的地位。
2）表示“（基因）显性的，优势的”，英文解释为“a dominant gene causes a person to have a particular physical characteristic, for example brown eyes, even if only one of their parents has passed on this gene”。
🎬电影《王牌特工：特工学院》（Kingsman: The Secret Service）中的台词提到：but a Kingsman wears it on which ever hand happens to be dominant. 但王牌特工都戴在惯用手上。
proportion
1）表示“比率，比例”，英文解释为“the number, amount, or level of one thing when compared to another”举个🌰：
The proportion of women to men at my college was about one to eight.
我所在大学的男女比例大约为8：1。
2）表示“部分；份额”，英文解释为“the number or amount of a group or part of something when compared to the whole”举个🌰：
Children make up a large proportion of the world's population.
孩子占世界人口的很大一部分。
Early indications suggest BA.2 has an increased growth rate compared to its viral predecessor, though further analysis is needed, UKHSA said.
英国卫生安全局表示，早期迹象表明，与奥密克戎毒株相比，BA.2的增长速度增加了，尽管还需要进一步分析。
predecessor
predecessor表示“前任，前辈；原有事物，前身”，英文解释为“someone who had a job or a position before someone else, or something that comes before another thing in time or in a series”。
📍successor表示“继任者，接替者；继承人；接替的事物”，英文解释为“someone or something that comes after another person or thing”举个🌰：
This range of computers is very fast, but their successors will be even faster.
这个系列的电脑速度很快，但它的换代产品速度会更快。
Whereas Omicron rapidly displaced Delta following its emergence in the UK, BA.2 has yet to follow suit in dominating Omicron, which accounts for the vast majority of cases.
虽然奥密克戎毒株在英国出现后迅速取代了德尔塔（Delta）毒株，但BA.2还没有像奥密克戎毒株那样。绝大多数感染病例都是奥密克戎毒株。
follow suit
表示“跟着做；仿效”，英文解释为“If people follow suit, they do the same thing that someone else has just done.”举个🌰：
Efforts to persuade the remainder to follow suit have continued.
说服其余的人也跟着做的努力在继续。
The Omicron sub-lineage has been spreading quickly in places like India and the Philippines and early signs show it is growing in Germany and Denmark, the latter having submitted the most sequences to date (6,411).
奥密克戎毒株的亚变体在印度和菲律宾等地迅速蔓延，早期迹象表明它在德国和丹麦也在增长，后者迄今提交的病毒序列最多（6411条）。
sequence
表示“一连串；一系列；顺序，次序”，英文解释为“a series of related things or events, or the order in which they follow each other”举个🌰：
The tasks had to be performed in a particular sequence.
这些任务必须按一定次序去执行。
BA.2 has grown particularly fast in Denmark. It accounted for 20 per cent of all Covid cases in the last week of 2021.
BA.2在丹麦发展得特别快。在2021年的最后一周，它占所有新冠确诊病例的20%。
Anders Fomsgaard, a researcher at Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut (SSI), said he did not yet have a good explanation for the rapid growth of the sub-lineage, admitting he was puzzled but not worried.
丹麦国家血清研究所（SSI）的研究员安德斯·福姆斯加德（Anders Fomsgaard）说，他对该亚变体的快速增长还没有一个很好的解释，他承认对此表示困惑，但并不担心。
serum
UK serum /ˈsɪə.rə/ US serum /ˈsɪr.ə/ 表示“血清”，英文解释为“the thin yellowish liquid part of the blood ”如：cholesterol levels in blood serum 血清中的胆固醇水平。
“It may be that it is more resistant to the immunity in the population, which allows it to infect more. We do not know yet,” he told local media, adding that there was a possibility that people infected with BA.1 might not be immune from then catching BA.2 soon after.
“可能是它对人群中的免疫力更有抵抗力，这使它能够感染更多的人。我们还不知道，”他告诉当地媒体，并补充说有一种可能性，即感染了BA.1的人可能对不久后感染BA.2没有免疫力。
immunity
表示“免疫；免除；豁免”，英文解释为“a situation in which you are protected against disease or from legal action”举个🌰：
The vaccination gives you immunity against the disease for up to six months.
注射这种疫苗会使你对这种疾病有长达6个月的免疫力。
immune
1）表示“有免疫力”，英文解释为“cannot catch or be affected by a particular disease or illness”举个🌰：
Adults are often immune to German measles.
成人往往对风疹有免疫力。
2）表示“不受影响”，英文解释为“not affected by sth”举个🌰：
You'll eventually become immune to criticism.
你终究会不用在乎批评了。
3）表示“受保护；免除；豁免”，英文解释为“protected from sth and therefore able to avoid it”举个🌰：
No one should be immune from prosecution.
任何人都不应免于被起诉。
“It is a possibility,” he said. “In that case, we must be prepared for it. And then, in fact, we might see two peaks of this epidemic.”
“这是一种可能性，”他说。“在这种情况下，我们必须为它做好准备。然后，事实上，我们可能会看到这种流行病的两个高峰。”
peak
可以作名词，也可以作动词，表示“（达到）峰值”，英文解释为“When something peaks, it reaches its highest value or its highest level.”举个🌰：
Temperatures have peaked at over 90 degrees.
温度已达到峰值，超过了90度。
It is not yet clear where BA.2 emerged from, though the first cases were recorded in the Philippines.
目前还不清楚BA.2是从哪里出现的，尽管第一批病例是在菲律宾记录的。
Nor is it known whether the sub-lineage causes more severe disease than the original Omicron variant. “Data is limited and UKHSA continues to investigate,” said Dr Chand.
也不知道该亚变体是否会比原来的奥密克戎毒株引起更严重的疾病。钱德博士说：“数据是有限的，英国卫生安全局继续进行调查。”
Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London, speaking to Yahoo! News, said there is “likely to be minimal differences in vaccine effectiveness against BA.1 and BA.2”.
帝国理工学院（Imperial College London）的病毒学家汤姆·皮科克（Tom Peacock）在接受雅虎新闻采访时说，“针对BA.1和BA.2的疫苗效力可能差异很小。”
virologist
virologist 表示“病毒学家，病毒学专家”，英文解释为“a specialist in virology”。
📍 virology：the branch of medicine concerned with the study of viruses and the diseases they cause 病毒学
📍 virus：A virus is a kind of germ that can cause disease. 病毒
In a statement, the UKHSA said: “As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSA is carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the characteristics of this variant.
英国卫生安全局在一份声明中表示，“正如对任何正在调查的新变体的常规做法，英国卫生安全局正在进行实验室和流行病学调查，以更好地了解这一变体的特点。”
epidemiological
epidemiological /ˌepɪˌdiːmiəˈlɑːdʒɪkl/ 形容词，表示“流行病学”，如：epidemiological research 流行病学研究。
📍epidemiology 名词，英文解释为“the scientific study of the spread and control of diseases”。
“We will continue to monitor this situation closely and recommend appropriate public health measures if needed.
“我们将继续密切监测这一情况，并在必要时建议采取适当的公共卫生措施。”
monitor
表示“监视；检查；跟踪调查”，英文解释为“to watch and check sth over a period of time in order to see how it develops, so that you can make any necessary changes”举个🌰：
Each student's progress is closely monitored.
每一位同学的学习情况都受到密切的关注。
“More detail will be available in UKHSA’s regular Variant Technical Briefings.”
“更多细节将在英国卫生安全局的定期变异体技术简报中提供。”
公众号后台对话框里发送：沙发
查看沙发计划，抢沙发拿奖励
公众号后台对话框里发送：打卡
参与每天持续行动打卡计划
公众号后台对话框里发送：提问
查看提问指南，不懂先查再问
- 那年今日 -
- END -
LearnAndRecord
2015年2月8日
2022年1月26日
第2545天
每天持续行动学外语