DOH reports 75 fireworks-related injuries

Facade of the DOH main office in Manila. INQUIRER.net file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The number of people wounded by illegal firecrackers in the days leading to the New Year festivities is now at 75, including two new severe cases that led to amputations, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

From 6 a.m. on Dec. 26 to 5:59 a.m. on Dec. 27, the DOH recorded 23 more cases of firecracker injuries, bringing the total tally of injuries nationwide to 75.

The DOH, however, has yet to provide comparative data for the same period last year.

Of the total injury count since monitoring began on Dec. 21, the top six culprits were “boga” with 16 cases, followed by “5-star” (14 cases), “kwitis” (nine cases), “piccolo” (six cases), “pla-pla” (five cases), “luces” and “whistle bomb” (both with three cases).All of these firecrackers — except for kwitis, luces, and whistle bomb — are banned for use under Republic Act. No. 7183.

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Mostly male

Most of the newly injured individuals were males and were 6 to 55 years old, with a median age of 12. All of them were involved in the use of firecrackers either at home or in the streets.Of the 23 fresh injuries, two were teenagers who lost their fingers after using the “pla-pla.” One of them is from Metro Manila, while the other is from Central Luzon.

This pushed to a total of six, the number of people with severed limbs due to illegal firecrackers. The DOH clarified on Wednesday that one of the five amputation cases on the previous day was misreported.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos had pressed local governments to implement their own ban on firecrackers, citing the number of injuries, especially among children and teens.