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Australia readies for possible Ebola outbreak

By WTOP Staff

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s prime minister is resisting pressure to send doctors and nurses to West Africa to fight the Ebola crisis, saying his government is focused on preparing for a potential outbreak of the deadly disease in the Asia-Pacific region.

A petition by 113 Australian health professors sent to Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday calls on him to send a medical team as well as troops to battle the disease that has killed almost 4,500 people in West Africa this year.

Senior opposition lawmakers backed the call in letter to key government ministers on Thursday.

Abbott said Thursday that while the government had given 18 million Australian dollars (US$16 million) toward the international response, his government is focused on being prepared for an outbreak in Australia and the wider region.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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