MANILA, Philippines?The number of fireworks-related injuries over the holidays went down by 15 percent over the same period last year, the Department of Health announced on New Year?s Day.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said at a news conference a total of 597 injuries were recorded between Dec. 21, 2009 and the morning of Jan. 1, 2010?570 from fireworks, 26 from stray bullets and one from watusi ingestion.

Out of the 570 fireworks injuries, 39 had blast injuries with amputation and 78 had eye injuries.

There were 702 injuries during the same period last year: 683 from fireworks, 17 from stray bullets and two from watusi poisoning.

There were, however, nine more cases of stray bullet injuries this year compared to the same period last year.

Duque credited the DOH?s scare tactics and the proliferation of New Year?s Eve concerts and street parties for the decrease in the number of fireworks-related injuries.

?We were relentless in our drive against fireworks use. In fact, we even employed scare tactics that showed the public vivid images of severely mangled limbs and a tray of surgical instruments used for limb amputation,? Duque said.