Firecracker-related injuries now 843 –DOH

The number of individuals getting injured due to firecrackers over the holidays has increased to 843, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

This, as 11 cases from previous days, including New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, were belatedly added to the tally.

DOH said that the 843 cases recorded from December 22, 2024 to January 6, 2025 were 38% higher than the 610 cases during the same period last year.

The verified death toll still stood at four—with three of them dying due to fireworks-related injuries and one due to a stray bullet.

On Sunday, the DOH confirmed another fatality—a 54-year-old man from Calabarzon who sustained injuries on his left arm from a Kwitis explosion.

Kwitis, a legal but dangerous firecracker, remained to be the leading cause of injuries, along with 5-Star and Boga.

Many of those who got hurt were male (696 cases) and were aged 19 and below (499 cases). —AOL, GMA Integrated News