4-YEAR-OLD BOY LOSES FINGERS TO FIRECRACKER

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported that a four-year-old boy from Central Luzon lost all five fingers due to a firecracker injury.

The boy also sustained a neck injury.

According to the DOH, the child was lighting a “dart bomb” in their home when it suddenly exploded on his right hand.

“Dart bomb” is an illegal firecracker.

The DOH expressed concern about how deadly and illegal firecrackers can reach the hands of young children.

The incident was one of the eight fireworks-related injuries that the DOH logged from 6 a.m. Saturday to 5:59 a.m. Sunday.

The new cases are all males, with the oldest aged 37. 

The agency said firework-related injuries (FWRI) reached 115 since December 21.

Forty-four cases came from the National Capital Region, followed by Central Luzon (13) and Ilocos region (13).

Soccsksargen had nine cases, Calabarzon had six cases; and Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region and Western Visayas recorded five cases each.

In Eastern Visayas, fireworks-related injuries rose to six as of Sunday.

Meanwhile, a nine-year-old boy from Burauen, Leyte sustained head and eye injuries from lantaka (portable cannon); and a 33-year-old male from Guiuan, Eastern Samar suffered multiple injuries in the lower extremities due to kwitis (mini skyrocket).

The previous four victims were aged 6, 8, 11 and 24, all males.

The DOH said most of the firecracker injuries occurred at home and on the streets..

Prior to the New Year festivities, police have confiscated millions of pesos worth of banned firecrackers. The move aims to prevent firecrackers injuries and even deaths.