77 percent of firecracker victims children below 15 years old–DOH

Cases of firecracker-related injuries especially among children have continued to rise as the country prepares to welcome the New Year, with 116 cases recorded so far by the Department of Health.

In its daily monitoring report as of Friday 6 a.m., the agency said 89 or 77 percent of the victims were children younger than 15 years old.

The figure of 116 cases is 43 percent lower than the five-average and 38 percent lower than the figures reported during the same period last year.

Male comprised majority of the victims at 108 cases or 94 percent, with the victims’ ages ranging from as young as three years old to as old as 62 years old.

There were no new cases of firecracker ingestion or stray bullet injuries aside from the one case of firecracker ingestion and one case of stray bullet injury which were previously reported.

The DOH noted that Metro Manila remains the region with the highest number of cases at 63, followed by Calabarzon and Western Visayas which had 12 cases each.

In the National Capital Region, the city of Manila recorded the highest number of cases at 27, with Quezon City at a close second with 18 cases.

Most of the victims or 94 cases (82 percent) were active users of firecrackers, with 74 victims were aged less than 15 years old.

The DOH noted that 94 cases or 82 percent involved blast injuries with no amputation, with 76 cases or 66 percent of the injuries involved the hands.

This was followed by injuries to the eye at 21 cases or 18 percent, and the arm or forearm at six cases or five percent.

Meanwhile, the piccolo, a banned firecracker popular among children, caused majority of the injuries at 69 cases or 60 percent, followed by the boga at 11 cases or 10 percent.

It may be recalled that the DOH began its monitoring of firecracker-related injuries last December 21, which will last until January 5.

The agency started its “Iwas Paputok” campaign in the first week of December.

The DOH is encouraging people to use safe merry-making instruments and alternative noise-makers instead of firecrackers.

Last year, the agency recorded 932 firecracker-related injuries nationwide from Dec. 21, 2015, to Jan. 5, with one death due to an exploding “Goodbye Philippines” firecracker.