Photo by Richmond Hinayon, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Days before the New Year revelries, the number of firecracker-related injuries have already risen to 90, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, 89 firecracker injuries have been recorded while one was reported to have ingested a firecracker.

Tayag said of the reported injuries, 52 were due to the prohibited firecracker “piccolo.”

He said leading the cities with most firecracker-related injuries is Manila with 18 cases, followed by Quezon City and Mandaluyong, with 12 and 5 cases, respectively.

Tayag noted that the cases recorded so far is 39 percent lower compared to the 147 cases in the same period last year.

He said while the figures are encouraging, this should not mean complacency on the part of local government units.

Tayag said the firecracker “alert campaign” by the DOH this year is meant to remind local government units to work harder to prevent the number of injuries from rising further in their respective jurisdictions.

“Kung mapapansin niyo konti iyan - isa, dalawa, ganyan - eh ano pa yan, wala pa ang bagong taon. Kasagsagan ng karamihan ng napuputukan ay bisperas,” Tayag told dzMM.