There were 63 fireworks-related injuries in Negros Occidental and four in Bacolod City from December 21 to Tuesday, January 3.
Those injured in Negros Occidental increased by 103 percent with only 31 recorded in 2021, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said.
There were only four firecracker victims in Bacolod, the City Health Office reported.
The most number of injured in Negros Occidental were in Bago City that had 10, Talisay City – 7, Cadiz City and Sagay City – 4 each, Binalbagan, Kabankalan City, Silay City and La Castellana – 3 each, Escalante City, Valladolid, San Enrique, Calatrava and Himamaylan City – 2 each, and Isabela, Pulupandan, San Carlos City, Murcia, Cauayan, Hinigaran, Manapla, Hinoba-an and La Carlota City – 1 each.
The PHO report said 42.9 percent of the firecracker injuries involved children aged 1 to 10 years old.
Of the 63 cases 53 had blast or burn injuries with no amputation, and 13 victims were liquor intoxicated.
There were no severe injuries and the majority of the victims were male, Tumimbang said.
There were no reported victims of indiscriminate firing, he added.*