People are being warned by the Department of Health (DOH) that if they have received any fire-cracker related injury during new Year celebration, they could probably get infected with tetanus.

Dr. Eric Tayag, Director of DOH-National Epidemiology Center (NEC), is urging people to get immediate treatment if they received firecracker-related injuries so as to safeguard themselves against tetanus. Tetanus is bacteria that infects wounds and if left untreated, could prove deadly.

He says that one affected with tetanus exhibits symptoms such as lockjaw, high fever, headache and weakness and the illness could crop up from eight days to three weeks after receiving the injury.

On Monday, the DOH revealed that the number of injuries received during the new Year festivities surged to 891, including 844 caused by firecrackers, 36 by stray bullets and 11 by fireworks’ intake. Most of the firecracker-related injuries were the result of the use of piccolo, kwitis and 5-star.

Majority of the causalities i. e. 55% were found in Metro Manila and among them 95% of the cases were consequences of firecrackers’ use, 4% of stray bullets and 1% of firework ingestion.

Tayag told that they were providing treatment to patients affected with all kinds of injuries.Image Copyright: ABF@commonswiki (under Creative Commons license)

Nearly 800 people were reportedly injured by firecrackers as the Philippines marked the end of 2010 and heralded the entry of 2011.

The Department of Health (DOH) have recorded some 794 firecracker injuries across the country from December 21, 2010 to January 2, 2011. this was 61 cases or 8 percent more than the previous five-year average.

“Out of the 17 regions, NCR [National Capital Region] reported the most cases [451 or 57 percent of the total]. Seven hundred and forty-nine [94 percent] were due to fireworks, 35 [45 percent] to stray bullets and 10 [1 percent] to fireworks ingestion,” the health department said.

Of the 749 injuries, 437 people (57 percent) were reportedly active users or the ones who set off the firecrackers. of the active users aged 18 and above, some 68 (37 percent) were reportedly under liquor intoxication.

The most affected age group were children aged 1 to 10, comprising 243 (32 percent) of the victims. meanwhile, at least 584 (78 percent) of the injured were males.

Injuries due to illegal fireworks tallied to at least 397 (53 percent), while piccolo injuries numbered 220 (29 percent).

Health officials also reported that a woman died last year after ingesting piccolo powder.

Five hundred eighty-five (78 percent) suffered various degrees of skin burns without needing amputation, while 48 (6 percent) had some of their fingers or toes removed. Some 116 people (16 percent) had eye injuries.

Most of the victims (65 percent) were reportedly injured while participating in street revelries.

Injuries down to 20 percent

Health Secretary Enrique Ona earlier said that health authorities expected the figure to reach somewhere between 900 to 1,000 on January 1.

However, the recent tally was 20 percent lower compared to that for the same period marking the end of 2009 and the start of 2010.

DOH Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said that it is still very early to conclude if the government’s efforts in warning people of the dangers exploding firecrackers bring were effective.

He likewise said that the health department will still go on monitoring reports from hospitals since some people continue to use firecrackers days after the new Year, according to Inquirer.net.

DOH is set to release the final count of firecracker-related injuries on Wednesday, January 5.

In 2009, the DOH listed a total of 870 firecracker-related injuries, 35 stray-bullet injuries and two watusi ingestions according to GMA News.

Beware of tetanus

Meanwhile, public health officials called on those who were wounded by firecrackers to immediately seek medical treatment in order to avoid contracting tetanus.

Dr. Eric Tayag, director of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC), said that firecracker injuries may lead to tetanus, which could be fatal if left untreated, Philippine Star reported.

He said that an infection could develop from eight days to three weeks after sustaining the injury. Symptoms of tetanus include headache, lockjaw, high fever and weakness.

We are appealing to those who sustained wounds from the use of fireworks. (These are) more dangerous than ordinary wounds,” Dr. Tayag said.

By U.S. News Agency / Asian

The Department of Health (DOH) has alerted the public against the danger of tetanus infection that maybe caused by firecracker-related injuries during the recent New Year celebrations.

DOH-National Epidemiology Center (NEC) director Dr. Eric Tayag advised the public to seek immediate medical treatment for firecracker injuries to avoid developing tetanus infection.

Tayag said tetanus is a type of bacteria that contaminates wounds and could be fatal if left untreated.

He also said that among the symptoms of tetanus infection are headache, lockjaw, high fever and weakness. It could develop from eight days to three weeks after sustaining the injury, he added.

On Monday, DOH said the number of persons injured or wounded due to firecracker blasts or burns, stray bullets and firework powder ingestion during the New Year revelry had reached 891.

The DOH said that of the 891 cases, 844 were caused by firecrackers, 36 by stray bullets, and 11 by firework ingestion.

Tayag said the casualty count was 13 percent lower than last year’s total of 1,028 casualties. He said the leading causes of injuries were piccolo, “kwitis” (rocket) and 5-star.

Tayag noted that most of the victims of firecracker explosions usually wait for two to five days before going to the hospital for treatment.

Tayag said they are treating all victims of firecracker-related injuries as serious cases.

“out of the 17 regions, (Metro Manila) reported majority of the cases (55 percent). eight hundred and forty-four (95 percent) were due to fireworks, 36 (4 percent) to stray-bullets and 11 (1 percent) to fireworks,” the DOH said.

The victims’ ages ranged from one year to 80 years old.the 1-10 age group was the most affected with 282 cases (or 33 percent of the total number of cases).

Of the active users 18 years old and above, 72 (or 34 percent) were drunk at the time of the accident.

The DOH also said 660 persons (or 78 percent) had burns without amputation while 55 persons (or 7 percent) needed amputation and 129 persons (or 15 percent) sustained eye injuries.