Ilang oras bago ang pagsalubong sa taong 2022, iniulat ng Department of Health (DOH) ang apat pang katao na nasugatan dahil sa paputok.

Ang mga bagong fireworks-related injury ay umabot sa kabuuang 30—na naitala sa pagitan ng Disyembre 21 hanggang umaga ng Disyembre 31.

Ayon sa DOH, ang kabuuang naitalang sugatan ay “76 percent higher compared to 2020 with 17 cases, but 66 percent lower than the five-year average of 89 cases during the same time period.”

Walang naiulat na fireworks ingestion, stray bullet injury o pagkamatay ngayong taon, ani DOH.

Nasentensyahang si Mary Jane Veloso, babalik na sa Pilipinas—PBBM

Ang mga paputok na naging sanhi ng mga pinsala ay boga, five-star, piccolo at triangle.

“Seven cases had blast/burn injury requiring amputation, 17 cases had blast/burn injury not requiring amputation, and eight cases had an eye injury,”sabi ng DOH.

Ang mga pinsala ay naitala sa Western Visayas na may siyam na kaso, sinundan ng Ilocos Region na may lima, National Capital Region na may apat, Bangsamoro Autonomous sa Muslim Mindanao na may tatlo, tig-dalawa mula sa Cagayan Valley at Central Luzon; at tig-isa mula sa Bicol, Zamboanga at Davao Region.

“We are preparing not just in welcoming 2022, but also in giving our Kababayan a safe and sans-souci New Year. DOH always hopes that celebrations like this will not create untoward accidents,” sabi ni DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III.

“That is why we are relentlessly reminding everyone of safer alternatives to welcoming the New Year through our Iwas Paputok campaign especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, and in ensuring that our hospitals are prepared for fireworks-related injuries,” dagdag ng hepe ng ahensya.

Analou de Vera