53% of 69 Christmas, New Year Cracker Victims in Central Visayas Spectators, Passersby

More than half or 53 percent of the 69 individuals injured by firecrackers in Central Visayas from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2 were spectators or passersby and did not use the firecrackers themselves, health officials said.

Rennan Cimafranca, head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Department of Health (RESU-DOH) 7, said the number of firecracker-related injuries rose from 56 in 2015 to 69 this year.

The RESU said majority of the victims were male, with ages ranging from one month to 76 years old.

Cimafranca said the number of persons hit by stray bullets, mostly in Cebu, rose to five.

Cimafranca said Cebu City had the highest number of firecracker-related cases in the region this year with 27 cases or an increase of once case from last year’s 26 cases.

Mandaue City had the second highest number of firecracker-related injuries with nine cases, which was the same number of cases last year.

Lapu-Lapu City, known as Cebu’s capital for the firecracker and pyrotechnics making cottage industry, was third with six cases.

Lapu-Lapu City reported zero firecracker-related injury during Christmas.

Firecracker-related injuries were also reported in the cities of Naga, Talisay, Toledo, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, and in the towns of Minglanilla, Consolacion and Dalaguete.

In Bohol, two people were hospitalized for eye injuries related to firecracker use.

In Negros Oriental, eight people suffered blast and burn injuries, while two others had eye injuries. (PNA) SCS/EB/SSC