FIRECRACKER-RELATED injuries from December 21, 2017 up to January 5, 2018 decreased by 8.3 percent compared to the same period last year.
Based on the Department of Health (DOH) 11 data, firecracker-related injuries in Davao region decreased to 22 cases from 24 in December 21, 2016-January 5, 2017 period.
DOH 11 health education and promotion officer 3 Yasuy Avila said Davao Oriental logged eight cases, the highest number among the provinces in Davao region.
The youngest involved in firecracker injury was two years old while the oldest was 46 years old.
The most commonly used firecracker by those injured was piccolo.
DOH 11 officer-in-charge chief Local Health Support Division doctor Raquel Montejo, during the Connect press conference, advised the public on what to do in case there’s a firecracker-related injury. She said the first thing to do is to wash the area of the body where the injury is; clean the wound; and stop the bleeding.
However, she added if the bleeding persists, the injured should be brought immediately to the nearest health facilities or call 911 emergency hotline for assistance.
Montejo added that minor firecracker injuries should still be checked by medical experts for tetanus.
She said there was no mortality recorded related to firecrackers based on their 2015–2017 data.
"Hopefully this year we can sustain the zero casualty or zero mortality related to firecracker injuries and also reduce, kung hindi man zero, yung morbidity at least more or less sana 50 percent from the 22 reported cases last year (If not zero, hopefully the cases of morbidity will be reduced to 50 percent from the 22 cases last year)," Montejo said.