THE Department of Health Region (DOH)-Central Luzon reported a significant drop in firecracker-related injuries during this year’s holiday celebrations, compared to that in 2017.
Based on the records of the DOH-Central Luzon, 54 individuals were reportedly victims of firecracker mishaps from December 21, 2018 to January 1, 2019, which decreased to 85.67 percent compared to 377 incidents reported in the same holiday period in 2017.
Among the recorded incidents, the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan registered the highest numbers of incidents with 15 each, followed by Zambales with 10, Tarlac with seven, and Bataan and Aurora with single incident each.
Seven individuals among the victims in the region sustained eye injuries, while four required amputation of different body parts due to the severity of injuries they sustained, the DOH-Central Luzon further reported.
The health agency also noted that most of the victims of firecracker-related injuries were boys whose age ranged from 10 to 20 years old.
Meanwhile, the DOH-Central Luzon disclosed that 18 of the 54 incidents were caused by “kwitis,” which is the highest among other types of firecrackers, followed by five star, piccolo, and luces.