Did Political Correctness Make Italy's Wuhan / COVID-19 Epidemic Worse?

Rather sounds that way: link.

The ridiculous claims, e.g. by the WHO, about "racism" and "stigma" seem to have interfered with their response.

No surprise there. PC subordinates truth and accurate communication to political dogma. And truth and accurate communication matter a lot for all sorts of practical reasons.

PC kills.

Or, at least: if it hasn't killed yet, it's pure, dumb luck.