The Daily Telegraph

Hundreds of Ebola deaths expected amid fears Uganda is repeating China’s Covid errors

- By Sarah Newey and Daily Telegraph Reporters

UGANDA’S Ebola outbreak is set to spiral, according to leaked projection­s, as concerns grow that mistakes in Wuhan, China, during the early days of the Covid pandemic are being repeated.

The modelling, drawn up by the Ugandan ministry of health, estimates there will be 1,200 cases and 500 fatalities by late April – which would make the epidemic the country’s deadliest.

It comes amid signs that the mistakes of secrecy and prevaricat­ion that characteri­sed the initial response of the Chinese government to Covid are being repeated by Ugandan health officials.

At least 136 cases and 53 deaths have been confirmed since the latest outbreak of the haemorrhag­ic fever was detected in mid-september. The disease has spread across eight districts, including the capital Kampala.

Insiders say a “toxic” atmosphere has developed and relations between the authoritar­ian government and internatio­nal agencies on the ground are tense.

Supply shortages have been significan­t. Health workers have complained of inadequate PPE, while limited food for those in quarantine means some patients and their contacts have escaped isolation – spreading the virus.

“Initially, the impression was that this was small and would burn out,” one source close to the response told The Daily Telegraph. “Now the impression is that this is rapidly getting out of control, or is out of control.”

Another individual said: “It’s incredibly difficult here, it’s a pretty toxic environmen­t … Case numbers have increased significan­tly and there just aren’t enough healthcare workers to look after them.”

The Telegraph has asked the Ugandan ministry of health for comment.

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