Puerto Rico's government has issued a prize freeze on condoms and other products that are known to help prevent Zika infection. Government officials declare that if stores are found raising the prices of these items, the guilty will be fined up to $10,000.

Like the rest of Latin America, Puerto Rico is experiencing a public health emergency following the spread of the Zika virus in the region. Some 60 suspected cases have been recorded in the country so far, but only nine of these are confirmed as Zika-related.

DACO Price Monitoring

In order to curb the spread of the disease, the head of Puerto Rico's consumer affairs or the Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor (DACO), Nery Adames Soto, promised that the agency will actively monitor the price of condoms.

"Every local store, gas station or business that sells these items must know that DACO will be knocking on your doors and closely monitoring this, allowing the citizens to protect themselves adequately because now is not the time to raise prices." the secretary declared.

DACO issued the directive on prices on Feb. 5.

Reactions to Price-Freezing

While the general public supports the government's move, some business operators are not happy with the decision to focus on condom sales. "The mosquitoes started this. It didn't come from sex. It came from the mosquito," said a consumer Beatrice Garza. Condom prices in Puerto Rico are sold for about $1.66 individually or $24.49 for a pack of 24.

The DACO did include a price-freeze on insect repellants, window screens and hand sanitizers, but condoms were emphasized on the list when it was learned that the virus could be transmitted through sexual intercourse. Because of this, government officials worry that the virus could rapidly spread, especially in municipalities and rural towns.

Airlines Price Slash

Meanwhile, Zika's effects on the Puerto Rican economy have also extended to the travel industry. Despite slashing air fare, travelers are allegedly not biting. "Leisure travelers going to Puerto Rico are concerned both about the state of the economy and the extent to which leisure resort facilities are going to be properly maintained," airline industry expert Robert Mann said. "If you're a Puerto Rican resident, the buying power just isn't there."

However, some industry insiders don't believe that slow sales can be attributed to the Zika virus alone, as factors like the country's January climate or the general state of the world's economy might also affect bookings.