Port-au-Prince (AFP) – When the novel coronavirus first appeared in Haiti authorities and humanitarian experts panicked, worried about the country’s decrepit health system — but the pandemic’s economic consequences could prove yet deadlier for the nation’s poor. With just eight official virus fatalities as of Saturday, the COVID-19 pandemic is still in its infancy in Haiti, where staying at home and social distancing are unattainable luxuries for many who make their living in the informal economy. In an attempt to stem the spread of the virus the government of Haiti — the poorest country in the Americas — announced that wearing a mask would be compulsory in all public places beginning May 11.
