DOH-12: 125 hurt by firecrackers, 2 by stray bullets in Region 12
Breaking News • 17:26 PM Sat Jan 2, 2015
1,244
By:
Edwin Fernandez
PNA photo
COTABATO CITY - The Department
of Health (DOH) in Central Mindanao today reported 125 cases of firecracker
related injuries during Christmas and New Year’s revelry and is counting,
health officials said.
Jenny
Panizales-Centura, focal person of DOH-12 Iwas Paputok,” said the number may
increase as DOH monitoring of firecracker related injuries is until Jan. 5.
Quoting data from
DOH-12 Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (ONEISS), Ventura
said the number of victims is 16 percent higher as compared to the same period
in 2015.
South Cotabato has
the highest number of victims with 66, North Cotabato with 23, Sultan Kudarat
eight and Saranggani 7. Gen. Santos City
had 11 victims and Cotabato City had 10 victims.
Majority of the
victims were males and only 10 were females, aged 2 to 59 years old. Active users of firecrackers account to 111
while passive or those hit by firecrackers set off by others account to 14.
Ventura said most of
the incidents happened at victims’ homes while 36 cases transpired on streets.
Piccolo”(a band
item) was the major cause of injuries (90 percent) with 78 victims, seven from Kwitis,”
two from roman candle” and one from baby rocket.”
Ventura said of the 125
cases region wide, 116 were sent home, six were hospitalized, one of whom lost
his thumb due to serious injuries. Ten children sustained eye injuries.
Yarkay Dimasingsing,
59 of from Marquez, Poblacion Dos, Cotabato City suffered a leg wound after a
stray bullet hit him while welcoming the new year with his family.
In Maguindanao, Dr.
Kadil Sinolinding Jr, regional health chief in the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM), 18 persons were victims of firecracker explosion from December
21 to January 1.
Of the number, two
were from Upi, Maguindanao five were rushed to Dinaig Municipal hospital in
Datu Odin Sinsuat, eight in Datu Blah Sinsuat hospital and three in Buluan
District hospital.
In ARMM, Dr.
Sinolinding said four were hit by stray bullets during the revelry, three of
whom were from Jolo, Sulu and another from Malabang, Lanao del Sur.
Sinolinding said the number of firecracker injuries may increase when
reports from other parts of the region are collated.