The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the first death caused by a stray bullet on Saturday, Jan. 4, as the number of firecracker-related injuries continues to rise.
Data from DOH’s sentinel sites showed that the total number of injuries has now reached 771, which is 27.6 percent higher than the 604 cases reported on the same day last year.
The first stray bullet fatality recorded by the DOH involved a 19-year-old male from Davao del Norte. He was reportedly joining the festivities outside his house when a stray bullet hit him.
Of the 771 cases, the DOH noted that 636 were male and 135 were female.
DOH data also revealed that 453 of the victims were aged 19 and below, while the remaining 318 cases involved individuals aged 20 and above.
Meanwhile, the DOH reported two cases involving children, aged two and three years old, who accidentally swallowed a firecracker called “luces.”
The DOH noted that “kwitis” remained the leading cause of injuries, followed by 5-star and boga.
The latest data showed that 16 new cases were recorded on Jan. 1, 39 on Dec. 31, and 12 in the previous days.
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https://mb.com.ph/2025/1/3/Firecracker-related-deaths-increase-to-2-injuries-surge-to-704