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North Korea Bans Foreigners From Marathon

Just the fear of an outbreak of illness has caused North Korea to ban international athletes from coming to participate in an annual marathon event there.

The government says it will enforce the ban to prevent the potential spread of Ebola, even though the nation hasn't had a single case of the disease. The leadership is not taking chances and has told nearly 500 people who were planning to participate, not to come.

North Korea's borders have effectively been closed to foreign tourists since the end of October, when Ebola was still a major scare. Even diplomats and aid workers who are allowed in are made to undergo a 21 day quarantine.

stephanie.jarvis@ideastream.org | 216-916-6340