Fireworks-related injuries reach 107 a day before New Year’s Eve

ANTI-FIRECRACKER CAMPAIGN Pro-environment group Ecowaste Coalition launches ‘Iwas Paputoxic’ by holding plastic replica of amputated arms in Barangay Central, Quezon city, to discourage people from setting off firecrackers on New Year’s Eve. (File photo from LYN RILLON)

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 11 new cases of fireworks-related injuries (FWRI) as of Saturday morning, December 30.

These latest additions bring to 107 the total number of persons injured from pyrotechnics one day ahead of New Year’s Eve.

The age bracket of the new cases ranges from six to 72 years old.

“All of these new cases occurred at home and in the streets,” it said in an advisory.

Nine out of 11 new cases involve males.

Four out of 10 cases are from National Capital Region.

Central Luzon and Ilocos region have 12 cases each.

Soccsksargen has seven cases.

Cagayan Valley, Bicol region, Calabarzon and Western Visayas have five each (5 percent).

A 19-year-old male from Cagayan Valley had his left hand amputated due to firecracker ‘Pla-pla.’

“There have been no additional reports of ingestion thus far,” DOH further said.

“The top ranking identified fireworks that cause at least seven out of every ten (72%) FWRIs are Boga,* 5-Star,* Kwitis, Piccolo,* Pla-Pla,* Luces and Whistle Bomb,” it reported.

“Illegal fireworks (marked with an asterisk) are to blame for about six out of every ten cases,” it added.