The Department of Health (DoH) logged 16 firecracker-related injuries as of New Year's Eve despite the government ban on firecrackers.
Data released by the DoH said three more cases of injuries due to New Year revelry have been reported, bringing the total number of cases to 17, including the lone stray bullet injury, since Dec. 21.
According to the DoH, the latest figure is down by 77 percent compared to the injuries recorded in 2019, and 87 percent lower than the five-year average from 2015 to 2019 during the same period.
Of the latest cases, 12 were males aged 10- to 51-years-old while nine sustained blast and burn injuries that did not require amputation and seven had eye injuries, the DoH said.
The DoH noted that most of the cases were reported in the National Capital Region, where most cities have imposed a total firecracker ban, followed by the Bicol region and Western Visayas.
Four injuries due to firecrackers were reported in Metro Manila and three each in Regions 5 and 6. The lone stray bullet was from Region 5.
Two cases were recorded from Western Visayas and one case each from Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Davao region, and Socsargen.
The latest DoH report also showed that most of the cases were caused by prohibited firecrackers, Five Star with four cases, "boga" (improvised cannon) with three, and two from "kwitis."