DOH report: Firecracker victims reach 600
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 01/03/2009 3:50 PM
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The number of firecracker-related injuries has almost doubled in the last couple of days, data released Saturday by the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
Based on the DOH's "surveillance update," a total of 613 firecracker-related injuries have been recorded by 50 hospitals nationwide as of 8 a.m. Saturday.
The DOH said another victim has also been added to the 14 cases of stray bullets and victims of watusi ingestion remained at two. The latest victim of stray bullet was an 18-year-old male from Baguio City.
The health department said the number was 311 cases or 33 percent lower compared to the four-year average.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday told hospitals to remain on "white alert" in anticipation of more firecracker victims after the New Year's Eve revelry.
Duque said DOH will continue counting firecracker victims on January 5.
Nature lauded
The health secretary had said that the slight rainshowers over Metro Manila and other parts of the country on New Year's Eve "dampened the excitement" of firecracker lovers.
Duque said the rainshowers helped the government's campaign against firecrackers "by dampening festivities and frustrating those who light fireworks as a yearly tradition to welcome the New Year."
On January 1, the health secretary came out with the "good news" and declared the government's anti-firecracker campaign as a success.
The DOH counted only 346 firework-related injuries as of the first day of 2009. Duque said the number is 88 cases or 25 percent lower compared to last year's statistics and also 417 cases or 55 percent lower than the four-year average, he said.
The health department's update still showed no fatalities in firecracker-related cases.
However, there were media reports that two persons have died due to firecrackers.
