Healthcare Minister Venko Filipce announced that inspectors will investigate pharmacies that have increased prices of supplies that are in demand because of the coronavirus. Most notably, the price of surgical style masks, which normally sold for just a few denars a piece, are now between 30 and 70 denars, if you can even find them.

These masks are often used by people who believe they protect from the horrific levels of air pollution in Macedonia during the winters, but now they’re being stockpiled by people who hope they will be effective against the virus as well. Filipce said that it is not right to hike the prices and that the Ministry will launch an investigation into the pharmacies that do so.