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)

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.

BY GERARD NAVAL

HEALTH officials yesterday called on those injured in the New Year revelry to immediately seek medical attention as they could develop tetanus infection.

"It’s more dangerous than the ordinary wound," said Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the Department of Health-National Epidemiology Center.

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

It has an incubation period of eight days to three weeks.

Among the symptoms of a tetanus infection are headache, lockjaw, high fever and weakness.

Tayag noted that, on the average, those with minor firework-related injuries wait for at least two days before seeking medical attention.

The January 2 Kampanya Kontra Paputok 2010 Surveillance Report of the DOH-NEC showed there were 794 cases of firecracker blast and burns, stray bullets and firework ingestion from December 21 to January 1. the figures are not yet final because the count will continue until Jan. 5.

The 794 cases are 204 (26 percent) lower than the 590 cases recorded from Dec. 21, 2009 to Jan. 1, 2010.

The DOH-NEC report said 749 cases or 94 percent were due to fireworks, 35 (5 percent) to stray bullets, and 10 (1 percetn) to fireworks ingestion.

Data showed 220 of the firecracker-related injuries were caused by piccolo followed by "kwitis" (115), five-star (48), pla-pla (43), and luces (32).

Five hundred eighty-five or 78 percent of the injuries resulted in blast or burns without amputation while there were 48 (6 percent) cases that needed amputation. another 116 (16 percent) sustained eye injuries.

Thirty-two percent or 243 firecracker-related injuries involved children between 1-10 years old.

Some 430 (57 percent) victims were active users while 68 (37 percent) were under the influence of alcohol when they got injured.

There were also two new cases of poisoning from fireworks ingestion, bringing to 10 the number of cases.

The lone fatality in the firework ingestion category was a 44-year-old woman from Malolos, Bulacan, who allegedly committed suicide by consuming powder equivalent to around 64 sticks of piccolo.

Metro Manila police chief Nicanor Bartolome said there were 10 cases of stray bullets from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1 compared to 21 during the same period in 2009.

Bartolome said cases of stray bullets were recorded in Caloocan City (three) and one each in Valenzuela City and Taguig City.

Bartolome asked local government units (LGU) to legislate measures for a "total ban" on firecrackers to finally put an end to the deaths and injuries during Christmas and New Year revelry.

Bartolome said the total ban coupled with an intensified information campaign as well as cooperation of the public will help do away with the yearly procession of victims to hospitals.

He cited the case in the cities of Davao and Makati where the total ban was in place.

The total ban of firecrackers in Davao City has been in effect for several years.

In Makati, the total ban on firecrackers was implemented in barangays Bangkal, Pio Del Pilar and Magallanes which are traversed by the damaged pipeline of the first Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC) as authorities raised the possibility of an explosion due to a leak in the pipeline. – With Raymond Africa and Ashzel Hachero

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