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                Sierra Leone Bans Public Christmas Celebrations

   by VOA News

   Sierra Leone is banning public Christmas celebrations to help reduce
   the spread of the Ebola virus.

   A government spokesman told reporters Friday that all public
   celebrations will be banned starting December 20, five days before the
   holiday. However, the government order will not bar people from
   attending church on Christmas.

   The spokesman, Abdulai Bayraytay, said the measure is aimed at reducing
   physical contact among people in public in order to slow transmission
   of the virus.

   Critics say the ban will do nothing to contain the virus and will
   infringe upon the freedom of religion as enshrined in Sierra Leone's
   constitution.

   The [1]World Health Organization said this week that Sierra Leone has
   become the hardest-hit nation in the West African region where Ebola
   outbreak is centered.

   Sierra Leone has recorded more more than 8,000 cases of Ebola
   infection, and nearly 1,900 deaths. The World Health Organization says
   18,188 Ebola cases  and 6,583 deaths have been reported overall (in
   Liberia and Guinea as well as Sierra Leone).

   Most people in Sierra Leone are Muslims, but there also is a sizable
   population of Christians who celebrate the Christmas holiday.
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   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/sierra-leone-bans-public-christmas-ce
   lebrations/2557792.html

References

   1. http://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.ebola-sitrep.ebola-summary-20141212?lang=en
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/sierra-leone-bans-public-christmas-celebrations/2557792.html