Fireworks-related injuries reach 211

MANILA, Philippines — Over 200 fireworks-related injury cases in the country have been reported by the Department of Health.?

DOH data from its Epidemiology Bureau showed that 74 additional fireworks-related injuries were reported by sentinel hospitals, bringing total cases to 211 as of yesterday morning.

This number is 16 percent higher compared to 2021 (182 cases) but 30 percent lower compared to the five-year average (300 cases) during the same period.

The National Capital Region reported the most number of cases with 102, followed by Western Visayas (25) and Central Visayas (20).

The report also noted that most (167 or 79 percent) cases were male, with 60 (28 percent) cases sustaining eye injuries and 11 (five percent) had blast/burn injuries with amputation.

Half (106) of the cases were actively involved or those that actually used firecrackers, 109 (52 percent) occurred in the street, while 94 (45 percent) occurred at home and 36 (17 percent) were allegedly intoxicated with alcohol at the time of injury.

Of the injured, 21 (10 percent) cases were hospitalized while two (one percent) cases were referred to other hospitals for further management. Kwitis, a legal firework, was the most common cause of injury.?The DOH added that no death was reported, and there was also no reported case due to fireworks ingestion and stray bullet injury.

Injuries

The Pangasinan PNP provincial office has recorded 51 firecracker-related injuries during the New Year revelry, a report said yesterday. The report said the victims all incurred minor injuries.

Six were victims of improvised cannon or boga, eight were whistle bomb injuries, four were caused by “five-star triangle” injuries while kwitis injuries totaled 23 and five were by luces. An injury each was caused by bawang and fountain.

The police also reported the confiscation of more than 1,900 pieces of assorted firecrackers worth almost P9,000.

In Central Luzon, 62 persons were victims of firecrackers, according to Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) Brig. Gen. Cezar Pasiwen.

Pasiwen said the victims were from Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Bataan, Zambales, the cities of Olongapo and Angeles.

There were no reported victims of firecrackers in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Aurora, Pasiwen said.

“Zero fatal casualty in Central Luzon in New Year’s revelry,” the PRO3 director said, adding that no PNP and AFP personnel in Central Luzon was involved in indiscriminate firing during the eve and actual celebration of New Year.

A civilian in San Ildefonso, Bulacan was arrested for illegal discharge of his gun, Pasiwen said.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental recorded only 16 firecracker-related incidents with no reports of indiscriminate firing, according to the Bacolod City Police Office and Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office. – Cesar Ramirez, Gilbert Bayoran, Ric Sapnu