DOH: Firecracker injuries nearly 600

(UPDATED) MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reported an increase in the number of New Year revelry injuries after firecrackers hurt almost 600 people nationwide.

As of 6 a.m. today, the DOH national Epidemiology Center reported 589 firework injuries, one firecracker ingestion and nine stray bullet cases.

The DOH started its annual count in Dec. 21, 2013 and the current figure was 43 percent higher than the 419 injuries recorded in the same period last year.

The number of injuries this year was also higher by 29 percent than the previous average of 464 injuries from 2008 to 2012.

The illegal firecracker piccolo still caused most of the injuries (267). The others were unknown firecrackers (76 injuries), Kwitis (56), Five star (27) and Plapla (21).

Health officials explained that even with the increased number of injuries, there were fewer injuries (143) among children less than 10 years old this year and fewer by-standers (214) were affected.

"Most importantly injuries were relatively milder this year," the DOH said.

In the 2013 New Year celebrations, there were 326 blast injuries without amputation, 13 amputations and 78 eye injuries.

This year, there were 504 blast injuries without amputation, only eight amputations and 86 eye injuries.

The DOH said Metro Manila had the most number of injuries with 345 followed by Calabarzon with 50 and Ilocos region with 35. 

Health officials are hoping that the number of injuries will no longer rise until their monitoring ends on January 5.

However, the agency reminded law enforcers and the public to remain vigilant as some people would still light up firecrackers in the next days.

It also urged parents to protect their children as picking up used, unexploded firecrackers including piccolo will cause new injuries.

"Government hospitals will continue to provide treatment of these injuries including provision of anti-tetanus vaccines," the DOH said.

It also called for the total ban of firecrackers and for conducting community firework display instead during the New Year celebrations.

Read: New Year injuries more than double in 3 metro hospitals