Burkina Faso's environment ministry has banned special hunting for bats, the main carrier of Ebola virus, following threat of the disease which has already left over 900 killed in West Africa since the beginning of the year.
"The special hunt for bats which began on July 1 to Aug 31 has been suspended across the national territory due to risks associated with Ebola fever," Xinhua quoted a ministerial statement as saying Wednesday.
Ebola virus is caused by a virus transmitted to human beings through bats or rats. It is very contagious and transmitted through direct contact with patients, infected body fluids as well as cloths of those infected with the disease.
The World Health Organisation has noted that Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and recently Nigeria are the countries most affected by the disease in Africa.
Though no case has so far been reported in the West African nation of Burkina Faso, the country's health ministry said Monday that measures had been put in place to counter any eventual outbreak of the disease.