INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) logged eight new cases of fireworks-related injuries (FWRI) on Sunday, including a four-year-old boy who lost all five fingers on his right hand due to firecracker “Dart Bomb.”
The boy, who lit the firecracker himself at home, also sustained injuries to his neck.
Dart Bomb is a type of a strong firecracker similar to “Whistle Bomb” but has fins in its tail like a dart.
According to the DOH, the total number of FWRI has now reached 115, less than 24 hours before the New Year’s Eve celebration.
“FWRI Report #10 (6:00 AM of Dec 30 to 5:59 AM of Dec 31) revealed eight (8) new cases, ranging from 4 to 37 years old (median age: 12), all males. Six (6, 75%) of these new cases occurred at home and in the streets, with the two (2, 25%) others at designated areas,” the DOH said in an advisory.
“Five (5, 63%) were due to illegal fireworks, while most had active involvement (7, 88%),” it added.
The DOH noted that almost four out of every 10 cases of the overall FWRI are from the National Capital Region (44, 38 percent), followed by Central Luzon (13, 11 percent), Ilocos Region (13, 11 percent), Soccsksargen (9, 8 percent), Calabarzon (6, 5 percent), Cagayan Valley (5, 4 percent), Bicol Region (5, 4 percent), and Western Visayas (5, 4 percent).
The DOH said that Davao Region has the fewest cases, with only one thus far.
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Moreover, the health department highlighted that 96 percent of FWRI happened at home and in the streets, mostly by males with active involvement.
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“The top ranking identified fireworks that cause at least seven out of every ten (72%) FWRIs are Boga*, 5-Star*, Kwitis, Piccolo*, Luces, Pla-Pla*, Whistle Bomb, and other unlabeled (including the Dart Bomb) or imported fireworks. Illegal fireworks (marked with an asterisk) are to blame for about six out of every ten cases (67, 59%),” it added.