Firework-related injuries in 2020 New Year’s Day celebration were fewer than last year’s, according to the Department of Health (DOH). From 21 December 2019 to 01 January 2020, there were 164 casualties brought about by fireworks. The number was 35% down from 251-injured-people tally during 21 December 2018 to 01 January 2019.
Across the country, the National Capital Region housed most of the unfortunate occurrences, where 84 injuries transpired there. CALABARZON followed this with 13, just an incident more than in Ilocos Region. Central Luzon was behind Ilocos Region, with 11, and Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas emerged lastly with 10 injuries each.
The top five fireworks that inflicted the harm were kwitis (33 injuries), luces (19), fountain (18), piccolo (13), and baby rocket (9).
The health arm advises parents to watch closely their children as 53% of the hurt people were five years old and below.
There were no reported cases of firework ingestion, stray bullet receipt, and death during the recent New Year’s Day feast.
The DOH envisages a complete ban on fireworks to attain the targeted “zero injury” and “zero casualty.”