Tally of firecracker injuries in N. Mindanao slightly down

A reveler sets off firecrackers as residents usher in the New Year in this photo taken on January 1, 2013. —File photo by Ted Aljibe | Agence France-Presse

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Health in Northern Mindanao (DOH 10) reported a slight drop in fireworks injuries during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

This year’s total count of such injuries is 34 is down from 37 in 2023, according to Jasper Kent Ola, head of the DOH 10 Research, Epidemiology, Surveillance and Disaster Response Unit (Resdru).

Ola said these were caused by firecrackers such as piccolo, triangle, whistle bomb, kwitis, and boga, a cannon made of bamboo and PVC pipe.

READ: DOH: 1 dead due to stray bullet; firecracker-related injuries now 771

Some patients – with ages ranging from 7 to 14 years old — had eye injuries while the rest had burns and injuries mostly on parts of the hand and face.

The cases were recorded in the following areas:

• Bukidnon: 12
• Misamis Occidental: 10
• Cagayan de Oro: 4
• Lanao del Norte: 3
• Misamis Oriental: 3
• Iligan City: 2

There was no report of fireworks injuries from the province of Camiguin.

Ola said the region was fortunate there were no amputation cases and no deaths.

He added that there were no reported stray bullet injuries as in last year.