Sierra Leone cancels Christmas festivities as Ebola crisis continues

Sierra Leone is banning Christmas and New Year celebrations across the country this year due to the widespread Ebola outbreak.

Announced by Palo Conteh, head of Sierra Leone's government response to Ebola, the move is a part of a greater effort to keep people indoors and out of contact with others who could potentially spread the virus. Soldiers are expected to monitor the streets to maintain order

See also: Eyewitness to Hell: Life in Ebola-Ravaged Liberia

Sierra Leone is the hardest-hit country, with more than 8,000 Ebola cases and nearly 1,900 deaths as of Dec. 10, according to the World Health Organization. It has now surpassed Liberia as the country with the most reported Ebola cases. More than 6,500 people have died and 18,100 have been infected across the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea since the outbreak resurfaced last year. Read more...

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