DTI enforces 60-day price freeze in Ilocos Norte due to ‘rabies outbreak’

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — The Department of Trade and Industry-Ilocos region said a 60-day price freeze on essential goods in this province has been imposed after the declaration of a local health emergency due to the “outbreak of rabies cases.”

Basic necessities such as canned sardines, milk products, instant noodles, salt, bottled, distilled, mineralized, and purified water, instant coffee, detergent soap, bread, and candles are covered by the prize freeze, the DTI said in a statement on Monday, June 19.

“Prices of all basic necessities are automatically frozen at their prevailing prices for the duration of the State of Local Health Emergency but not longer than 60 days,” the DTI statement said.

Ilocos Norte saw a rise in rabies cases in previous months, with the viral disease detected in at least 53 barangays, data from the provincial veterinary office showed.

In 2022, the province had only one rabies case but in the first five months of 2023, had five deaths, prompting the provincial board to declare an emergency health situation beginning June 2.

In a separate statement, the regional Department of Health said they were verifying reports that cases of rabies in the Ilocos region had increased.

DOH regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco said there was no need to panic as the incidents reported so far in the region were “isolated cases.”

“We still have to validate the increased reports of cases in some of the provinces to verify if there is a need to declare a health emergency or outbreak,” said Sydiongco.

The provincial government ordered organizing the rabies control committee to curb the spread of rabies. INQ

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