Sierra Leone bans Christmas and New Year festivities

The head of the National Ebola Response Center of Sierra Leone, Paolo Conteh, said Friday that there will be no Christmas and New year festivities this year.

The center's chief executive officer Conteh made the announcement at a meeting organised by First Lady Sia Nyama Koroma to gather religious, traditional and cultural leaders to end the Ebola virus in the country, Xinhua reported.

Conteh stressed that security personnel will be deployed in the streets to enforce the declaration. The declaration came in response to arrest the escalation of the virus in the country, especially in the capital, Freetown.

He noted that the Ebola situation in the country has got worsen because of people's behaviour noting that more than 60 bodies were buried almost daily in the capitals.

He, however, explained that people will be allowed to attend church services on Christmas day but after that all should go home and observe the day. No cultural activities will be tolerated as it used to be.

For the New Year celebration, he went on, there will be no watch night services as previous years, this time New year services will be observed at home.

People who Xinhua spoke to welcomed the idea, noting that "if that is the price we have to pay so be it."