• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Fireworks-related injuries (FWRIs) in Negros Occidental further rose to 103, the highest in Western Visayas, figures of the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday showed.
Highly-urbanized Bacolod City logged nine cases.
Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan, provincial health officer, said that the FWRI cases this year increased in Negros Occidental, compared to only 72 last year.
Pinongan noted a spike in cases after Jan. 1, with most cases involving male aged 10 to 20 years old.
She attributed the increase in cases to hardheadedness and daring attitude of some people, especially teenagers.
Nationwide, DOH-Western Visayas ranked fifth among the 17 regions, with 294 cases.
Blast or burn was cited as major cause of injuries, followed by eye injuries.
There were two reported cases of amputation in Negros Occidental.
DOH further reported that most cases were caused by “kwitis”, followed by “boga”, “triangulo”, “camara”, “watusi”, and others such as luces, “pulbura” and improvised firecrackers.
Of the 294 cases, 13 involved amputation while one death was recorded from a non-sentinel site, the report added.
Pinongan said there is also an increase in admission of patients in various government hospitals, not only due to fireworks, but also for medical cases, after the holiday celebrations. | GB
