The Department of Health said yesterday that it recorded zero fireworks-related deaths during the last Christmas season.
“We are glad that no fireworks-related fatalities were reported this year,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
The DoH conducted its annual Fireworks-Related Injury surveillance from Dec. 21, 2019 to Jan. 6, 2020 and recorded 413 injured by fireworks.
The figure was 21 percent higher compared to the 340 cases reported during the Christmas season in 2018.
Data provided by the DoH said a total of 515 FWRIs were recorded in 2017. In 2016, there were 682 injuries caused by fireworks, while 995 injuries were reported in 2015. In 2014, the DOH recorded 963 injuries and in 2013 there were 1,113 cases.
“The FWRI surveillance report revealed a total of 413 cases of FWRIs in 2019 where 411 injuries were due to fireworks, one firework ingestion, and one stray bullet injury case,” said Duque.
“Injuries were observed to peak on Dec. 26 and 27, then Dec. 29 to Jan. 1, and finally on Jan. 5,” he noted.
The Health chief said that majority of the FWRIs involved males with 305 cases or 74 percent of the total figure.
“Ages of the cases ranged from 11 months to 77 years. There is also no reported case of tetanus due to fireworks-related injuries,” he said.
The National Capital Region had the most number of FWRIs with 198 cases. It was followed by Western Visayas with 47 cases; Ilocos region with 38 cases; Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon area) with 33 cases; and Central Luzon with 25 cases.
“I continue to urge communities and local government units to further strengthen our campaign for safer and healthier ways to celebrate the holidays,” said Duque. (Analou de Vera)
