Fireworks-related injuries this year almost 50% higher at 277 – DOH

The 277 fireworks-related injuries recorded from December 21, 2022 to January 4, 2023 were already 49% higher compared to the same period last year, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

Based on the agency’s latest surveillance report, there were 15 additional cases of fireworks-related injuries recently reported by sentinel hospitals.

This brought the caseload up to 277—of which 276 were injuries due to fireworks, and one was a case of stray bullet injury involving a 64-year-old woman from Manila who was hit while she was walking to her brother-in-law’s residence.

The agency, however, pointed out this number was still 12% lower compared to the five-year average of 313 cases during the same period.

The National Capital Region (NCR) remained to be the region with the most recorded fireworks-related injuries at 132, so far.

Western Visayas also logged 33 fireworks-related injuries, Ilocos Region with 25, Central Luzon with 23, Calabarzon with 15, and Bicol Region with 13.

Eight cases were from Cagayan Valley, seven from Central Visayas, six from Soccsksargen, four from Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), three each from Mimaropa and Northern Mindanao, two from Davao Region, and one each in Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bangsamoro Region.

Of the victims, 99 sustained injuries on the hand, 78 on the eye, 37 on the head, 35 on the legs, and 32 on the forearm or arm.

Seventeen of them also had blast or burn injuries that required amputation. None of them reportedly died due to the incident.

The DOH also noted that 151 of the injuries occurred on the street, while 115 happened at home.

Forty-seven of the victims were allegedly intoxicated when the incident happened.

Most of the victims or 220 of them were male aged one to 80.

The top fireworks involved were kwitis, boga, 5-star, and fountain. Of these, boga and 5-star were considered as illegal fireworks, causing injuries to 33 and 22 people, respectively.

The DOH said there were no recent reports of fireworks ingestion.—AOL, GMA Integrated News