The Catholic Church in Ghana has directed its members to minimize the “shaking of hands among themselves after mass” as part of measures in preventing the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Ghana.

The church has also directed its affiliated medical centers across the West African country to put in place appropriate measures to deal with the virus in case of an outbreak.

A statement signed by the president of Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Joseph Osei Bonsu , said the church is praying that God will keep the deadly disease off the shores of Ghana.

“ While we cannot direct our faithful not to shake hands during the kiss of peace at mass, we think that it is possible to minimize the shaking of hands “

“ We also appeal to our hospitals , clinics and other health facilities dotted across the country to put in place appropriate structures at the facilities to handle reported cases of Ebola with dispatch” the statement noted.

The Conference also appealed to religious leaders in the country to use their platforms to educate their congregation on the disease.

Ebola has so far killed close to 1,000 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

It is contracted through direct contact with fluids of infected patients as well as from eating bush meat: apes, fruit bats and antelopes. The World Health Organization says it has lost control over the fast-spreading epidemic and has declared it an international public health emergency.

In compliance, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone have all declared national health emergencies and restricted movement in certain areas to contain the spread.