Firecracker cases rise to 307, 62% higher than 2021: DOH

FILE: Fireworks at Theresa Heights Subdivision usher in the new year in Barangay Kaligayahan in Novaliches-Fairview, Quezon City. (PNA photo by Oliver Marquez)

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Friday 16 additional injuries related to fireworks, bringing the overall tally to 307, or 62 percent higher than the cases for the same period in 2021.

“These [307 cases] are 3 percent lower compared to the five-year average of cases [317] during the same period,” the DOH said in its case bulletin.

About 167 of the cases occurred on the streets while 130 occurred at home.

There were 86 sustained eye injuries while there were 20 cases of blast injuries that required amputation.

Fifty-one cases or 17 percent of the tally were allegedly intoxicated with alcohol at the time of injury.

“Two hundred forty-five or 80 percent of the cases were male ages one to 80 years old,” the DOH said. “Thirty-one sentinel hospitals submitted an injury or zero case report before the cut-off time and this was 37 percent lower compared to same period last year.”

The National Capital Region (NCR) logged the highest number with 139 cases.

Second to the NCR is Western Visayas with 37 cases; then, Ilocos Region, 33; Central Luzon, 24; Region 4-A (Calabarzon), 18; and Bicol Region, 14.

The top five fireworks which caused injury include “kwitis,” a skyrocket type of firework that is legal, with 65 cases; “boga” (improvised cannon), 35 cases; triangle-shaped firecracker 5-star, 23 cases; and fountain fireworks, 17 cases.

“The total number of validated stray bullet injury remains at one from 6 a.m. of December 21, 2022 to 6 a.m. of January 6, 2023,” the DOH said.

There were no reported cases of fireworks or firecrackers ingestion nor fireworks-related deaths.