Firecracker-related injuries down by 68% in 2019 —DOH

The number of firecracker-related injuries during New Year celebration for 2019 has declined by 68 percent, according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Duque said the Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 139 firecracker-related injuries, which was lower than last year's 428 cases.

"Today we have a 68-percent decline in the number of fireworks-related from December 21, 2018 to January 1, 2019 and that is as of 6 a.m., compared to the 428 cases during the same peroiod last year. This brings the total number to 139 cases," Duque said.

"This is the historic, biggest reduction in the fireworks-related injuries. Remember there were also times in the past na umuulan din pero mataas din 'yung injuries," he added.

Duque also said there was no stray bullet injury this year.

Of the total number of cases, Duque said two incidents of fireworks ingestion were recorded while there were 102 cases of blast without amputation, five cases of blast with amputation, and 36 cases of eye injuries.

The regions with the most number of firecracker-related injuries were the National Capital Region (53 cases), Western Visayas (26 cases), Central Visayas (13 cases), Central Luzon (ten cases) and CALABARZON (ten cases).

Duque said the fireworks which caused injuries include kwitis (30 cases), boga (16 cases), piccolo (15 cases), lusis (eight cases) as well as five star (seven cases) and triangle (seven cases).

Duque, meanwhile, attributed the lower number of firecracker-related injuries this New Year's celebration to President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order (EO) 28, which limits the use of firecrackers to community fireworks displays.

"In fact because of that EO, the substantive downward in the fireworks-related injuries began... this year we have a 69 percent decline and this is attributable to the EO 28 which states that the EO prohibits residential and personal use of fireworks," Duque said.

He however, said the number of injured individuals may still increase due to late reports of incidents.

"We also expect cases to increase as there are late reports still coming from other regions... Most additional injuries arise from children picking up unexploded fireworks in the streets," Duque said. 

Duque also promised that the DOH would "do a lot more" to achieve a New Year's celebration with zero firework-related injuries.

"We are gratified on the reduction but on the one hand, we are also saddened as there are still cases related to fireworks... One injury is too much to bear," he said. —KBK, GMA News