In the poorest country of the western hemisphere, residents wore protective face masks in the street and cautious parents gave their children bottled water.
As the United Nations warned that up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera in the country's first outbreak in a century, Dr. Jason Erb of the International Medical Corps said his organization set up a cholera clinic in the city.
"International Medical Corps came to Gonaives about two weeks ago based on a request from the Department of Health of Artibonite and OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) to look at the situation at Raboto Hospital and, in discussions with the medical director Dr. Marcel, we decided to set up a cholera treatment center. Since then, over the weekend, the number of cholera cases in Gonaives increased very rapidly," he said.
The epidemic added to a humanitarian emergency in the wake of the massive earthquake in January which killed more than 250,000.
Erb said the outbreak was aggravated by flooding caused by Hurricane Tomas this month.
"The number of cases did increase rapidly after the hurricane. We're not sure if it's related to the hurricane or not. All we do know is that those cases have increased largely in Gonaives as a whole. And so Raboto Hospital and Bon Secour Hospital have both seen this very, very fast increase and both are struggling to make sure that the best care possible can be provided to those who are sick," he said.
Public health experts warned that the country has all the classic risk factors for the disease -- overcrowded camps for displaced quake survivors, a scarcity of safe drinking water, improper elimination of human waste and the contamination of food during or after its preparation.
Additionally, because cholera is not usually found in the Caribbean, the entire population is at risk because no one has immunity to it.
In the humble neighborhood of Carrenage-Gonaives, litter fills the streets where half-naked children squander their days under the blaring sun. These living conditions leave people extremely vulnerable to the disease, which is spread by dirty water or food.
Area resident Aimer Kieukifer said he believes 50 of his neighbors have already died of cholera and sees little help on the way.
"We are all ready to get together and pray. We have not been able to find anybody to come here and help us in any way. Despite that, we have a few affected people who can't resist and died but we know that prayer is the only answer, and we are asking for everyone in Gonaives to give prayer a chance," he said.
The U. N. reported that at least 11,125 cholera patients have been hospitalized since the outbreak began more than three weeks ago. According to the World Health Organization, the death rate hasn't been increasing but is much higher than the usual 6 to 7 percent.
But with so many at risk, the U.N. has drawn up a plan asking for $163.9 million in aid over the next year to combat the epidemic.
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