BAGUIO CITY – The City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit of the Health Services Office under Dr. Rowena Galpo has reported that as of 12 noon of January 5, this year, there were six reported cases of fireworks-related injuries in the region all from the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC). The surveillance began December 21, 2017.
HSO Medical Officer Donna Tubera said this is 25 percent lower than the 8 recorded for the same period in 2017 and 54 percent lower compared to a five-year average.
Of this number, three were injured in Baguio, two in Benguet and one in Mountain Province.
The three reported injuries in Baguio was 40 percent lower than the five reported for the same period last year and 71 percent lower than the five-year average. There were no deaths recorded, no stray bullets, no watusi ingestions and no tetanus due to firecrackers.
All victims are males with age ranging from 11 to 18 years old with no case under the influence of alcohol. One is an active user while the others were passive. They all suffered injuries due to blast/burn of digits or hands.
The report stated that the most common firecracker implicated was piccolo (67%) where one of the victims claimed to have bought it from a sidewalk vendor at the Baguio public market.
No case was admitted and all were discharged after being given anti-tetanus and appropriate antibiotics.**gaby keith
