Sierra Leone has been on the road to recovery for so long now it must hurt with every subsequent setback.

After recording no new cases for a fortnight, sparking hopes that the virus must be in its death throes, it reared its ugly head once again, setting the 42 day clock to eradication back to zero.

Four new cases have been recorded of the virus in in Sella Kaffta, a village in Kambia District near Sierra Leone’s northern border. All four patients have been identified as having come into contact with a woman who died of the disease last month.

Pallo Conteh, head of Sierra Leone’s National Ebola Response Centre, said the woman’s family had failed to notify authorities when she fell ill and instead cared for her themselves.

“I am expecting more cases,” he said. “We are sure that the body was washed … so all those who took part in the washing of the corpse, all those who were helping her when she was having wet symptoms would all become infected.”

Traditional washing of bodies before burial has been identified as one of the biggest factors for the virus’ spread, and has persisted despite thousands of deaths and intensive education.

“Our people are stubborn,” Conteh said. “Until they stop doing what I call the silly things we will have cases popping up here and there.”

Meanwhile, Liberia was declared Ebola free, again, sometime last week.