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Uganda, US CDC Cooperate on Ebola

ENTEBBE Two more deaths were confirmed Wednesday in Ugandas ongoing Ebola outbreak, raising the total to 16. Officials are fighting to prevent further transmission of the virus. Through a partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the country is uniquely positioned to respond quickly to suspected cases of Ebola and other hemorrhagic viruses.

Representatives from the World Health Organization say 36 possible Ebola cases have been reported in Uganda, mostly in the west of the country. At least one death occurred in Kampala, raising concerns that the virus had reached the capital. However, there is no evidence of any transmission within the city.

Virus hunters

Ebola is no stranger to Uganda. Last year a 12-year-old girl living an hour outside of Kampala died from the virus. Thirty-nine people died in a 2007 outbreak in an area bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But unlike other countries in the region that have seen similar outbreaks, Uganda has a team of virus hunters from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on hand to respond quickly to hemorrhagic fevers, like Ebola.

The CDC has been working with Ugandas Virus Research Institute in Entebbe for more than a decade. Dr. Trevor Shoemaker, a CDC epidemiologist, says they formalized the relationship two years ago by developing a fully functioning laboratory on the institutes campus to rapidly diagnose possible cases of Ebola and other hemorrhagic viruses.

"In previous outbreaks theres been a long period of time between the first initial suspect case presenting to the hospital and then the initial diagnosis of it either being a hemorrhagic fever. So this laboratory was set up to narrow that amount of time, to close that gap," he explains.

Related - Ugandas Latest Ebola Virus Outbreak Spotlights Poorly-Understood Killer

CDC involvement

Shoemaker says the CDC chose to work in Uganda because of the regions history of hemorrhagic virus outbreaks. While there are different risks at different times of the year, Uganda and much of the region have many of the necessary factors, including the animal population, necessary for an outbreak.

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Uganda, US CDC Cooperate on Ebola

Uganda Ebola Outbreak Spotlights Poorly-Understood Killer

More than a dozen people are reported dead in western Uganda this week after being infected with the Ebola virus, a highly contagious and often fatal pathogen that has struck this region of Africa several times in the past 12 years. International medical workers are on the scene trying to contain the outbreak.

The latest outbreak in Uganda is being caused by the so-called Sudan strain of Ebola, one of five varieties of a virus that, officials say, typically kills between 50 and 90 percent of its victims.

Related video report by Vidushi Sinha

Tarik Jasarevic is a spokesman for the World Health Organization or WHO. Although the pathogen is extremely aggressive and easily transmitted, Jasarevic says it can be contained by testing people suspected of being infected with Ebola virus, placing the sick in quarantine and seeking out those with whom they may have had contact.

It is because to stop the transmission chain, that we need to find those people and make sure that they are not infected in the near term and, if they are, they are treated in an appropriate way, Jasarevic said.

Related - Uganda, US CDC Cooperate on Ebola WHO and health care workers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are helping Ugandan officials determine the scope of the outbreak, tend to the sick and communicate with members of the public about how to protect themselves from infection.

Ebola's average incubation period is between two and 12 days. Symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, extreme weakness and muscle aches. Vomiting and diarrhea may occur and, in rare case of so-called Ebola hemorrhagic fever, patients suffer from internal and external bleeding.

Currently, there is no cure for Ebola, nor are there any specific treatments. Patients who have been sickened but not killed by the virus usually need intensive rehydration therapy during their recovery. But researchers are homing in on a vaccine. U.S. government scientists have developed an experimental vaccine that protects monkeys against the two most lethal Ebola strains.

And scientists at Fort Dietrick, Maryland, have also reported progress on a possible cure that targets Ebola's genetic material and prevents the viral cells from reproducing. After a week of injections, four rhesus monkeys infected with Ebola were cured of their infection. The experimental treatment has yet to be tested and approved for use in humans.

First identified in 1976, the Ebola virus has appeared most often in tropical Africa. While the precise source of Ebola is not known, Jasarevic says health experts suspect that wild bats transmit the virus to other forest animals such as monkeys and antelope, which are frequently killed for meat.

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Uganda Ebola Outbreak Spotlights Poorly-Understood Killer

ECB rates unchanged; markets await word on bonds

The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 31, 2012 file picture President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi reports to the Economic Committee, in capacity as the head of the European Systemic Risk Board, at the European Parliament in Brussels. European Central Bank president Mario Draghi has already taken Europe's monetary authority into uncharted territory. Now, with the debt crisis in Europe threatening further disaster, he may have to push it even farther into the unknown to save the euro. The 17 countries that use the euro are struggling as economies across the region face deepening recessions. Spain and Italy, the two chief trouble spots, are threatened with a financial collapse that could tear the 13-year old currency union apart and rock the global economy. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe,File)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) The European Central Bank leaves its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record-low 0.75 percent.

Markets are now waiting to hear bank President Mario Draghi speak at a news conference, hoping for more signals on whether the bank might buy government bonds in the open market. That could lower borrowing costs that are threatening to push Italy and Spain over the edge.

Draghi last week raised expectations the bank might take stronger action by saying the ECB would do "whatever it takes" to save the euro. But he didn't specify what measures he would take.

Markets are looking to the ECB Thursday, a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve held off taking further steps to support the shaky U.S. recovery. But the Fed strongly hinted it might take action soon.

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ECB rates unchanged; markets await word on bonds

Andrea Sneiderman arrested; DA announces press conference

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -

Sources confirm to FOX 5 that Andrea Sneiderman was arrested around 10:45 a.m. Thursday at her parents' home in Putnam County. There's no word on what charges she's facing, but a press conference is planned for later this afternoon.

Sources say investigators from the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office were accompanied by Putnam County deputies when they went to the home on Blue Heron Drive in the Lake Oconee area to make the arrest.

According to sources, Sneiderman faces several charges stemming from the shooting death of her husband, 36-year-old Rusty Sneiderman, outside a Dunwoody day care. Hemy Neuman, Andrea Sneiderman's supervisor, was convicted of murdering Rusty Sneiderman earlier this year, and allegations have been made that Neuman had an affair with Andrea Sneiderman. Andrea Sneiderman has denied those allegations.

The charges against Andrea Sneiderman are part of an indictment issued by a DeKalb County grand jury this morning. It is unclear at this time exactly what charges are part of the indictment.

Andrea Sneiderman was transported to the DeKalb County Jail, and FOX 5's cameras were there when she arrived around noon. It is not clear at this time when she will appear in court.

DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James plans to hold a press conference at 1 p.m. to discuss more about Andrea Sneiderman's case.

FOX 5 will have details on the press conference as it happens at 1 p.m. Stay with myfoxatlanta.com for updates.

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Andrea Sneiderman arrested; DA announces press conference

Randy Pulley leaving Word of God

Randy Pulley leaving Word of God By Nick Stevens

Published: 2012-08-02 09:22:00 Updated: 2012-08-02 10:36:36

Updated at 10:36 a.m.

Randy Pulley has resigned as the head boys basketball coach at Word of God.

Pulley, a former player at Word of God, will take over the basketball program at Christian Faith Center. Pulley confirmed the move on Thursday morning.

My concern is, foremost, what is in the best interest of my players, and their futures, more than it is for myself," Pulley said in a press release. "I have known about [Christian Faith Center] for years, and I am eager to build there, but it will not change the level of respect I have for Word of God and the Summerfield family.

Pulley took over the program last season after Quinton Jackson left the school, leading the Holy Rams to a 20-9 record. As a player, Pulley led Word of God to the 2001 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association championship game, averaging over 25 points per game.

"My departure [from Word of God] was an amicable one. I will forever be appreciative for the privilege and opportunity given to me [by Dr. Summerfield], and I wish them nothing but Gods best moving forward," Pulley added.

Word of God is scheduled to appear in the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational in December. The team features one of the top point guards in the Class of 2013 in Josh Newkirk.

A replacement for Pulley has not been named. The next head coach at Word of God will be the fifth head coach in as many years.

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Randy Pulley leaving Word of God