COTONOU, Aug. 18 -- Beninese government has ordered the closure of all traditional morgues across the entire national territory to protect the population against several diseases, especially Ebola virus, an official source in Cotonou said on Sunday.

The source said the illegal structures that operate under poor hygienic conditions could result into a number of contagious diseases.

Benin has had a long tradition of preserving dead bodies such as using palm wine or coal dust, and some of the methods can help preserve a dead body for almost a week.

Majority of the Beninese rural population uses traditional methods to preserve their bodies in the homes while morgues are only used in the urban centers before burial.