There are no plans to postpone or reschedule the Africa Cup of Nations – to be held in Morocco in January 2015 – despite the host nation’s fears the event could help spread the deadly Ebola virus to the region.

The Moroccan government requested the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to consider rescheduling the event, which could see players, fans and officials from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak travelling to Morocco.

Morocco’s Ministry of Youth and Sports sent an official letter to CAF on 10 October.

In its response, CAF said that there will be “no changes of the schedules of its competitions and events”.

In a statement, a spokesperson for CAF said: “Since the first edition in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations has never witnessed a deferral or a change in schedule.

“We have been cautious since the commencement of the final round qualifiers on the health risks posed by the Ebola virus. We’ve consistently applied precautionary principles, taking into account the recommendations of the World Health Organization and various medical experts.”

The request by the Moroccan government, however, will be discussed at the next meeting of the CAF Executive Committee scheduled for 2 November 2014 in Algiers, Algeria.

• The current Ebola epidemic has swept across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with cases also reported in Nigeria and Senegal.