gkbet Firecracker-related injuries hit 771; death toll climbs to 3

MANILA, Philippines — Firecracker-related injuries during the holiday season have reached 771 as of 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 4, the Department of Health (DOH) reported. This marks a 27.6% increase compared to the 604 cases recorded during the same period in 2024.

??TIGILAN NA ANG PAGPAPAPUTOK ?? ??Naitala ang unang kumpirmadong kaso ng tama ng ligaw na bala, kung saan isang 19-anyos na lalaki mula Davao del Norte ang nasawi. Ang biktima ay tinamaan ng bala habang nagsasaya sa labas ng kanilang tahanan. pic.twitter.com/Lnw8aAKdM8

— Department of Health Philippines (@DOHgovph) January 4, 2025

Among the cases, three fatalities have been confirmed, including the first recorded death due to a stray bullet. A 19-year-old man from Davao del Norte died after being hit by a bullet while celebrating outside his home.

Two cases of accidental firecracker ingestion were also reported.

A 3-year-old and a 2-year-old accidentally swallowed luces, a small type of sparkler.

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According to the DOH, 73% of the injuries were caused by illegal firecrackers such as boga and 5-star.

The BOC’s X-ray Inspection Project flagged the suspicious shipment, which was found to contain the illegal substance during an inspection conducted by a K9 unit of the PDEA and the BOC’s anti-illegal drug task force.

Most victims were male (636 out of 771), and 453 were aged 19 years or younger.

The DOH noted a sharp rise in injuries during peak celebration daysgkbet, with 39 cases on New Year's Eve (December 31), 16 on New Year's Day (January 1) and 12 additional cases in the following days. The data was collected from 62 sentinel hospitals nationwide since December 22.