Can the developing world endure the coronavirus?

When the coronavirus first began spreading from China to the rest of the world, public health experts issued dire warnings about the toll the virus would take on poor countries. The United Nations predicted in early April that as many as 3.3 million people in Africa may die from COVID-19. Philanthropist Melinda Gates warned of “bodies out on the street” on the continent. Similarly dire forecasts were made about developing nations in Latin America, Asia and elsewhere.

In March and April, however, the worst impacts of the pandemic were...