Villagers touching and washing infectious bodies of dead Ebola victims at secret burials are making it difficult to trace the virus and lower the number of new cases, U.N. officials said. The number of new cases rose for the first time this year in the past week, coinciding with a looming funding shortfall and the approach of the rainy season that will hamper aid efforts from April, they warned. Some communities in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone believe traditional practices are needed for the departed's spirit and the society.
