LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – The number of fireworks-related injuries in Bicol doubled in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
Based on the injury registry update of Department of Health-Bicol sentinel sites as of 6 a.m. on January 1, the region had 33 cases, a 100 percent jump from only 20 in 2022.
The province of Camarines Norte had 13, followed by Camarines Sur with 12, Albay with four, Sorsogon with two, and Masbate and Catanduanes, one each.
The day with the highest number of recorded injuries was December 31 with 21 cases.
Kwitis caused the most injuries with 13, followed by improvised cannon or "boga" with eight, Five Star with six, Fountain and Luces with two each, and Pla-Pla and Sparklers one victim each.
The youngest patient was a six-year-old male from Tabaco City who suffered blast and burn injuries due to Luces and was brought to the Ziga Memorial District Hospital (ZMDH) in Tabaco City at midnight on New Year’s Day. The cause of injury was passive.
The oldest patient was a 58-year-old female from the town of Daet in Camarines Norte who also suffered blast and burn injuries from Luces. Her injury was also passive.
The DOH-Bicol reported no fireworks ingestion and stray bullet cases in Bicol as of posting time.