The Department of Health (DOH) has ordered all hospitals in the country to be under 'code white' due to the expected increase of firecracker injuries during the New Year's celebration.

"We are now in code white, meaning all are instructed to prepare, all are instructed to have a special team to address the concerns of people who are going to our hospitals with injuries due to firecrackers," DOH officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Thursday, Dec. 29.

Code White Alert is declared when there is a possibility of emergency conditions that may need immediate medical attention in a mass gathering or national event — placing medical personnel in on-call status for immediate mobilization.

The order was due to the 44% increase in reported fire-cracker-related injuries from Dec. 21 to 29 compared to last year.

Illegal explosive like 'boga' is the top cause, injuring 14 cases out of 36 reported injuries, followed by whistle bombs, fiver star, kwitis, and camara.