Haiti declares victory over COVID-19, looking to reopen factories

Haiti’s Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe declared an early victory Wednesday over COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the Coronavirus, and announced that the country will begin reopening textile factories next week.

The government will also decide whether to extend or end a state of emergency first imposed on March 20 after confirming its first 2 positive infections, Jouthe said.

He made the announcement during a live press briefing in which he repeatedly noted that Haiti has only recorded 3 deaths and 40 confirmed cases when the government at first “thought we were going to be at 5,000.”

Instead of going the way of most countries in the region – which are enforcing lockdowns and strict social distancing measures in anticipation of more infections and deaths – the government simply called for the use of masks.

The emphasis on masks over stricter social distancing measures indicates Haiti is changing course even as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warns that the region has not yet seen its expected surge of COVID-19 infections.

Haiti’s government’s messaging also seems counter to what the regional health experts are telling countries in the region.

In a Tuesday briefing, PAHO Director Carissa Etienne warned that social distancing “remains our best bet to reduce transmission and slow the spread of the virus.” She also warned countries in the Caribbean and Latin America that now is not the time to let up on some of the more stringent measures.

“COVID-19 has yet to hit with full force in our region, particularly in the Caribbean and Latin America, and we expect it to intensify in the next few weeks,” Etienne said. “Indeed, the rise in hospitalizations and deaths we see in some countries highlights how quickly the situation could change.”