Department of Health (DOH) Usec. Eric Tayag on Tuesday, Dec. 2, said they are expecting that more firecracker-related injuries would be reported during the post-New Year celebration.
Interviewed during DZRH Dos Por Dos, Tayag cited that DOH had recorded a total of 231 firecracker-related injuries since Dec. 21, 2023.
Of the 231, 11 victims were reportedly amputated.
“231 pero baka umakyat pa ‘yan kasi hanggang January 5 maguulat kami. Isa doon ang nalunok ng watusi kaya sinasama namin sa total 231. Hindi pa kasama roon ang stray bullet na kinukumpirma pa namin sa tulong ng mga kapulisan [...] Sa ngayon, kapuna-puna ay 11 na ang naputulan ng daliri,” he said.
Usec. Eric Tayag, DOH, sa bilang ng napinsala ng paputok: 230 ang bilang at isa ang nalunok ng watusi. Hindi pa kasama ang stray bullet na kinukumpirma sa tulong ng mga kapulisan. #DosPorDos#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) January 1, 2024
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The DOH official said the youngest in the amputation cases was a 4-year-old boy who lost all five fingers on his right hand after setting off an illicit dart bomb at their house in Central Luzon.
The youngest case in the total number of firecracker-related injuries was an 11-month-old baby, Tayag said.
“Ang pinakamatanda naman, dahil sa kwitis, 72 years old. Siya namana ng gumamit nun. May mga hindi magandang quality [kwitis],” he continued.
The DOH official noted that they are still verifying the case of an individual who succumbed to death due to a stray bullet in Bataan.
“Kinumupirma namin, kasi baka mamaya wala nasmang kinalaman sa celebration 'yan,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tayag said the health department logged 20 newborn babies on New Year’s Day.
He said the first New Year’s baby was born at exactly 12 midnight.
