No death was reported yesterday by the Department of Health based on the Fireworks-Related Injury Surveillance from Dec. 21, 2019 to Jan. 6, 2020.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that there were also no reported case of tetanus due to fireworks-related injuries.
He said injuries usually peak on Dec. 26 and 27, then Dec. 29 to Jan. 1, and finally on Jan. 5.
He added that the National Capital Region and Regions VI and I had the most number of cases.
The FWRI Surveillance report revealed a total of 413 cases of FWRIs in 2019 where 411 injuries were due to fireworks, one firework ingestion, and one stray bullet injury case.
Majority (74 percent) of the cases are males, while ages of the cases ranged from 11 months to 77 years.
“The surveillance also showed an increase in cases in Cagayan Valley region (138 percent), NCR (62 percent), Bicol region (56 percent), CALABARZON (43 percent), Region III (25 percent), and CAR,” Duque added.
While the total number of injuries in 2019 is 41 percent lower compared to the five-year average (2014-2018) of 703 cases, the reported injuries in 2019 are 21% percent higher compared to 341 cases reported in 2018.
“We are glad that no fireworks-related fatalities were reported this year. However, I continue to urge communities and local government units to further strengthen our campaign for safer and healthier ways to celebrate the holidays,” Duque said.