DOH confirms 3 deaths, 771 firecracker injuries

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed three fatalities and a total of 771 firecracker-related injuries.

The sole stray bullet fatality is a 19-year-old male from Davao del Norte who was celebrating outside his residence when he was hit.

This year's total of 771 cases represents a 27.6 percent increase compared to the 604 cases recorded on the same date in the previous year.

Of the 771 victims, 453 were 19 years old and below, and 318 were aged 20 and above.

Most victims were males, with 636 cases, while 135 were women.

The DOH monitored these cases from December 22, 2024, to January 4, 2025, with 39 new cases since New Year's Eve.

Most injuries were caused by illegal firecrackers such as 'kwitis', '5-star', and 'boga'.

The agency expects firecracker-related injuries to increase until its monitoring period ends on January 6.