ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) recorded a total of 55 cumulative cases of firecracker blast injuries in Western Visayas from Dec. 21, 2019 up to yesterday, the first day of the new year 2020.
This saddened the department’s regional office which aimed for zero cases of firecracker-related New Year celebration injuries.
DOH Region 6 had campaigned for the use safer alternatives to firecrackers such as community fireworks display, street parties, musical concerts and horns.
Of the six provinces and two highly-urbanized cities in the region, only the province of Aklan had no case of firecracker blast injuries within the 10-day period.
Eleven of the firecracker blast injuries were reported by DOH-designated sentinel sites (government hospitals) while 44 were from non-sentinel sites.
The province of Iloilo had the most number of cumulative blast injuries within the period at 15, followed by Capiz (13), Negros Occidental (11), Antique (six), Bacolod City (four), and Guimaras and Iloilo City (three cases each).
DOH-6’s record showed that 32 of the victims had “active involvement” (they were the ones who lit the firecrackers) while 22 were “passive” (merely watching or passing by).
The age of the blast victims ranged from two years old to 49 years old, with those in the age range between 11 to 20 having the most number of injuries.
The most common type of firecrackers that caused injuries, according to DOH-6, were the following: boga (17), kwitis (10), triangulo (seven), fireworks display or pailaw, whistle bomb (four), kamara (three), fountain (two), piccolo (one), pillbox (one), Judas belt (one),and unknown (three).
On the other hand, the most common body parts affected by firecracker blasts were the eyes (23), and hands (20) cases.
Nine or 16 percent of the victims were reported to be intoxicated, according to DOH.
There were no reports of death due to
firecrackers.
DOH-6’s monitoring will be until Jan. 5./PN
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