THE Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said the number of firecracker-related injuries during the celebration of the New Year has risen to 771.
Of the 771 victims, 453 were 19 years old and below, while the remaining 318 were 20 years old and above.
The majority of the victims were males (636), while the remaining were females (135).
The figure was recorded from Dec. 22, 2024, to 6 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2025.
“In all, the number of cases has already reached 771 which is higher by 27.6 percent compared with last year,” read a DOH post on Facebook.
It reported a total of three deaths, including one due to a stray bullet.
The fatality was a 19-year-old male from Davao del Norte who was hit by a stray bullet while celebrating the New Year outside his house.
A 44-year-old male died of a head injury from a “triangle” firecracker.
One senior citizen died because of multiple injuries from a Judas belt firecracker “and a combination of other illnesses,” the DOH said.
Two cases of firecracker ingestion among children were recorded, involving a 3-year-old and a 2-year-old.
The primary cause of injuries was kuwitis (skyrockets), followed by boga (improvised cannons), it added.
The data were from 62 DOH sites monitoring firecracker-related injuries.
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