THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has attended to 465 devotees who were in need of immediate medical attention amid the annual Black Nazarene procession in Manila Tuesday, January 9.
As of 10 a.m., the PRC tweeted that 175 experienced high blood pressure while 226 experienced minor illness or injuries such as abrasions, lacerations, vomiting, body and abdominal pain, fever, dizziness, sprain and toothache. Some 22 others sustained major injuries, including bone fracture.
PRC said patients who obtained major injuries as well as high blood pressure were immediately brought to the hospital.
The PRC installed several first-aid stations along the route of the procession from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church to immediately attend to the devotees in need of medical attention while there are also teams roving around the Manila area.
According to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the procession as of 10 a.m. has reached the front of University of Manila and remains peaceful.
It estimated the crowd at 274,000 while at least 150,000 devotees are attending the hourly mass at the Quiapo church.
The procession of the Black Nazarene started around 4:58 a.m. after the Mass celebrated by Monsignor Hernando Coronel, Quiapo Church rector, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as the homilist.
The mass was attended by over 120,000 devotees. (SunStar Philippines)