Testing trouble adds to disorder in Uganda’s Ebola response

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA
Associated Press

MUBENDE, Uganda (AP) — In a remote Ugandan community facing its first Ebola outbreak, testing trouble has added to the score of challenges authorities face. Health workers and others who spoke to The Associated Press described the early response as slow and chaotic after the Sept. 20 confirmation of an outbreak with a sample from a man who had been treated for illnesses including malaria. Six others had already died from what local authorities described as a strange illness. Because some malaria symptoms are similar to those of the Ebola strain circulating in central Uganda, community-based clinics that are usually the first stop for those seeking care can be ill-equipped to make the right decisions at the right time.