DOH-7: 19 people hurt due to fireworks in Central Visayas
CEBU CITY, Philippines — In a span of six days, the Department of Health has recorded a total of 19 cases of fireworks-related injuries across Central Visayas.
This figure covers incidents that happened from Saturday to Thursday, December 21-26, 2024.
According to the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) Center for Health Development, eight of these incidents happened one day after Christmas Day.
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For the same time period in 2023, there were 20 total cases of the same nature recorded.
Data from DOH-7 shows that out of the 20 cases, seven incidents took place in Cebu City, six from Cebu province, three from Lapu-Lapu City, one in Mandaue City, one in Negros Oriental, and one in Siquijor.
Last Monday, a 17-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital after sustaining injuries while lighting a lantaka, an improvised cannon made using a bamboo pole, in Dalaguete town, Cebu.
The cannon exploded close to the teenager’s face and debris struck his eyes, according to police.
The agency identified specific firecrackers such as the improvised cannon referred to as lantaka, 5-Star, and Piccolo as the main causes of these injuries.
With New Year’s Day only a few days away, authorities are reminding the members of the community to place safety as their top priority in order to avoid untoward incidents while celebrating the yuletide season.
Here are some tips from DOH-7 on how to avoid fireworks-related injuries:
- Report to authorities individuals selling prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices such as the 5-star, piccolo, and lantaka.
- Refrain from using firecrackers during the celebration.
- Do not relight firecrackers you see lying on the streets.
- Keep small firecrackers that can be swallowed away from children.
- Make the choice to opt for alternative items such as party horns, pans, and karaoke to make noise.
- Always keep an eye on children to prevent them from using firecrackers.
- When watching fireworks shows organized by the local government, make sure to stay at a safe distance.
- Prepare first aid kits in case of emergency.
- Promptly call the proper authorities for medical help if an incident occurs.
DOH-7 also disclosed that there were 13 new cases of road traffic injuries recorded on December 26 at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, which is the pilot sentinel hospital for Road Traffic Injury Surveillance during the yuletide monitoring period.
This puts the tally of road accidents injuries across the region from December 21-26 at 54 cases.
According to the agency’s data, 26 of these incidents were collisions while 28 are non-collisions.
To prevent any more of these accidents on the road, DOH-7 recommended motorists to carefully check their vehicle’s condition through the “BLOW-BAG-SET” checklist before departing from any destination.
The “BLOW-BAG-SET” safety checklist, covers brakes, lights, oil, water, battery, accessories, gas, electrical systems, and tires.
Motorists are also advised to be disciplined while behind the wheel to ensure that they get home safely to their waiting families in time for the holiday festivities.
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