DESPITE the nationwide drop in firecracker-related injuries in the country, Central Visayas posted an 11 percent increase compared to the previous year.
The Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (Resu) 7 of the Department of Health-7 recorded 60 persons who suffered wounds in celebrating the New Year compared to 54 persons in 2018.
For this year, Cebu ranked first with 50 injuries; Bohol, 6; Negros Oriental, 5; and Siquijor, 1.
As of January 1, 6 a.m., the Department of Health recorded a 68 percent drop in firecracker-related injuries in the entire country.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said there were only 139 cases reported nationwide from December 21, 2018 to January 1, 2019, as compared to 428 cases during the same period of last year.
Duque said this is “historic” and attributed the drop in the rainy weather that prevailed in the country for the past days.
RESU 7 reported that there were four persons whose body parts were cut off after suffering injuries. The youngest of the wounded victims was aged two, while oldest was aged 63.
Four persons were hit by stray bullets this year as compared to only one person in 2018.
The common firecrackers used by the injured were kwitis, piccolo, triangle, Judas’s belt, hotdog and labintador.
In Mandaue City, Senior Supt. Julian Entoma urged the public not to pick up firecrackers in the streets.
“There were cases before that six days after celebrating the New Year, there were persons who suffered firecracker-related injuries,” said Entoma, the city police director.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 1, two children, aged 11 and 13, suffered minor injuries after they picked up firecrackers in Barangay Casuntingan.
At 1 a.m. on the same day, a child, aged six, was wounded after failing to throw the lighted firecracker. (FROM HBL, FMD OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / KAL)