Firecracker-related injuries rise to 839

A reveler grimaces while being treated at a hospital after being injured in a firecracker explosion while celebrating the New Year in Manila, Philippines Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. Despite the total ban of some firecrackers, many Filipinos welcome the New Year with fireworks allegedly to bring them good luck and to drive away evil spirits. (AP Photo/Linus Escandor II)

THE NUMBER of firecracker-related injuries rose to 839 cases as of 6 a.m. Monday, almost catching up with the figures culled during the same period last year.

Health Secretary Janette Garin also reported Monday the first case of firecracker ingestion. An 8-year-old boy from Malate, Manila, accidentally ate a sparkler on New Year’s Eve.

The patient was brought to the Philippine General Hospital following the incident and was discharged on Jan. 2 when his condition improved, said Garin.

The health chief said the latest number of injuries reported to the Department of Health (DOH) was 11 percent lower than the five-period average but merely 1 percent smaller when compared with the same period last year.

Of the 831 people hurt due to firecracker use, 61 percent sustained hand injuries while 15 percent suffered eye trauma. At least 28 people needed amputation on either the hand, leg or foot.

More than 50 percent of the victims were children under 14 years old and 83 percent of the total number of cases were male.

Of the total number of New Year revelry-related accidents, 43 percent were caused by piccolo, a small and cheap firecracker long banned by the government. The others were identified as “kwitis,” “luces,” and “five star,” another prohibited pyrotechnic device.

Still, Metro Manila posted the highest number of injuries, accounting for 56 percent of the overall figures. Jocelyn R. Uy