DOH records 1 stray bullet, 13 firecracker-related injuries since last week

MANILA — The Department of Health on Tuesday said there has been 14 holiday-related injuries since December 21.

One was a stray-bullet injury and 13 are injuries due to fireworks, the DOH report said. The data is from 61 hospitals.

“This is 35 cases (71%) lower compared to 2019 and 85 cases (86%) lower versus the five-year average (2015-2019), same time period,” it added.

“Wala pa tayong namomonitor na may tetanus case,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.

A tetanus infection caused by firecracker accidents can affect the brain and the nervous system.

A majority — or 8 out of the 13 firecracker-related injuries — were classified as blast or burn injuries without amputation. The remaining 5 have eye injuries.

The National Capital Region and Region V logged 3 firecracker injuries each. Region VI has 2 cases so far and the following regions logged 1 case each: Region III, CALABARZON, Region VII, Region XI, and Region XII.

Most of the patients were injured using illegal fireworks: 5-star (4 people injured), boga (2), bong-bong (1), and piccolo (1). The rest were injured from the following fireworks: baby rocket, fountain, kwitis, and whistlebomb.

• READ: Firecrackers banned in Metro Manila, says NCRPO chief

The DOH also classified 8 of the victims as having active involvement, which meant they were handling the fireworks.

“Twelve cases (92%) were sent home after treatment. One case still admitted,” the DOH said.

The lone stray bullet injury reported is of a 7-year-old boy from Claveria, Masbate. A report from the DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau said the child was playing in the kitchen on December 24 when a visitor fired a gun inside the house “in celebration of Christmas.”

The child was hit on the abdomen and right thigh. The DOH said the child is still at the hospital.

The department said there were no fatalities recorded.

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