Firecracker-related injuries rise to 839

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said the number of firecracker-related injuries recorded since Dec. 21, 2015 reached 839.

The number of firecracker-related injuries went up after the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau added 79 more cases from the 760 reported on Sunday.

DOH Spokesperson Lyndon Lee Suy said the number of cases is still lower by 104 cases or 11 percent as compared to the five-year average from 2010 to 2014 during the same period.

Lee Suy added that the current number of cases was also fewer by 11 cases or 1 percent in 2015 as there were reported 850 firecracker-related injuries last year.

The spokesperson clarified that although they earlier pronounced that the firecracker-related injuries hit an “all time low,” they are not discounting the possibility that there may still be upward changes in the number of cases in the remaining days of the monitoring and surveillance period until January 5.

Lee Suy noted that the 850 cases recorded last year already covered the 15-day surveillance period for the “Iwas Paputok” campaign from Dec. 21, 2014 to Jan. 5, 2015.

“Every day, figures may change… Maybe because also of our aggressive call for those who were injured to seek consultation, and have their Anti-Tetanus Shots,” Lee Suy said.

DOH also reported that the cases of stray bullets remain at total seven.

On the other hand, the first  and the only firecracker ingestion case involving an eight-year-old girl was reported in Manila last December 31.

DOH said majority of the firecracker-related injuries still occurred at the National Capital Region (NCR). There are 467 cases equivalent to 56 percent reported in NCR.

There were 168 injured in Manila, followed by Quezon City with 89 cases, Mandaluyong City with 52 cases, Marikina City with 39 cases, Valenzuela City with 26, Pasig and Navotas Cities with 20 cases each, Caloocan Cities with 15 cases and Parañaque and Las Piñas Cities with 10 each.

The agency said 358 or equivalent to 43 percent of the victims were due to piccolo while the other causes of the injuries are from kwitis, luces, and 5-star.

Meanwhile, Lee Suy said they expect the figures of firecracker-related injuries to change from time to time since some patients only go to the hospital after they feel that they can no longer manage the pain while others only visit the hospital to seek consultation which he said is a good sign of prevention from tetanus and other grave conditions.

“Iyung apela natin na magpatingin, naging maganda rin, kasi we are able to encourage them that no matter how small the wound is, there is a tendency for that to develop into tetanus, and that definitely matters,” Lee Suy said.