One dead, 7 hurt from stray bullets since Dec. 20

Stray bullets have killed a 37-year-old woman and hurt seven others since Dec. 20 when the government started monitoring injuries from firecrackers and indiscriminate firing of guns.

The details on the woman’s death were still unclear but the Department of Health said she died at the San Juan de Dios Hospital.

DOH epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag said 63 others sustained injuries from pyrotechnics and firecrackers, including 20 cases inflicted by PVC Boga, a popular bazooka-like device made from a PVC pipe and ignited by denatured alcohol.

"We really hope that the public will soon realize that the PVC Boga is not safe," Tayag said. "It is so popular now and we can see huge number of injuries related to this."

Tayag said the number of injuries since Dec. 20 is already 111 percent higher than the 34 cumulative case reported in the same period last year.

"This is really very alarming. We’ll come up with a more aggressive campaign to discourage the public from using these dangerous devices in celebrating the New Year," he said.

The cases include a watusi (dancing pyrotechnics) poisoning involving a four-year old boy. No other details were released. Watusi contains phosphorous, TNT, potassium nitrate, and potassium chlorate which are highly toxic.

Watusi is not included in the list of banned pyrotechnics under Republic Act 7183 or the Firecracker Regulation Law.

A child who ingested watusi should be made to take the white content of six to eight eggs. For adults, eight to 12 eggs are needed.

The victim should be brought to a doctor who will flush out the toxin. The egg white binds the toxin, preventing it from damaging the victim’s esophagus and intestines.

Tayag said 47 of the injured were from Metro Manila. The victims were three to 57 years old.

"We’ll do our best to make sure that we won’t surpass the 610 cases recorded from Dec. 20, 2005 to Jan. 5, 2006. But we need the cooperation of everyone," Tayag said.

"We hope the people will heed our call and use other noise-making devices in celebrating the New Year," he said.