Singapore: Amid medical emergency conditions in West Africa, the Nigerian education minister has ordered all schools in Nigeria to be closed until 13 October, 2014. The move has been taken in order to train school staff on how to handle suspected Ebola cases.

The West African outbreak centered in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia recently spread to Nigeria with the country reporting 5 Ebola cases. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa.

Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, education minister, said, "At least two staff in each school, both private and public, must be trained by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola."

The minister further added that appropriate awareness regarding Ebola prevention and control must be advocated among both teaching and non-teaching staff in the schools.