11-month-old boy’s hand hit by firecracker, amputated

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines – An 11-month-old boy became the youngest victim of firecracker-related injury, resulting in the amputation of his right hand, a report from the provincial health office here said.

Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, provincial health officer, told The STAR yesterday that a whistle bomb lighted by the boy’s neighbor went haywire and hit him while he was being held by his father at their veranda in Barangay Pasibi East, Urbiztondo town on Saturday.

Apart from a wound on his right hand, the baby also suffered corneal injury, De Guzman said.

The victim was initially rushed to the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City, but was later transferred to the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, where his hand was amputated.

Meanwhile, De Guzman said that as of Jan. 3, a report gathered by her office showed there were 150 firecracker-related injuries reported in connection with their 2015 Iwas Paputok campaign.

Ages of the victims ranged from 11 months to 61 years.

De Guzman said this was 60.48 percent lower compared to the 248 cases recorded in the same period last year.

839 revelry-related injuries

Meanwhile, a report of the Department of Health (DOH)’s epidemiology bureau said the number of revelry-related injuries rose to 839 yesterday.

The DOH also recorded the first case of firecracker ingestion involving an eight-year-old boy from Malate, Manila who accidentally ingested a sparkler on New Year’s Eve.

The victim was rushed to the Philippine General Hospital but was discharged on Jan. 2 upon improvement of his condition.

The DOH said 832 of the 839 revelry-related injuries were caused by firecrackers while seven were due to stray bullets.

Piccolo accounted for 358 of the cases, followed by kwitis (96), luces (49) and 5-Star (34). Unknown firecrackers caused 86 injuries.

DOH spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy said the increase in the number of victims could be attributed to the agency’s call for victims to seek doctor’s advice if they sustained even minor wounds or injuries.

The report showed that 461 of the firecracker injuries involved children below 14 years old. Hand injuries were sustained in 511 cases and eye injuries in 124 cases.

Twenty-eight of the injuries required amputation.

The National Capital Region accounted for 467 cases, with Manila having 166 cases; Quezon City, 89; Mandaluyong, 52; Marikina, 38; Valenzuela, 25; Pasig and Navotas, 20 each; Caloocan, 15 and Parañaque and Las Piñas, 10 each. – With Sheila Crisostomo