DOH: Fireworks-related injuries now over 800, active igniters getting younger   

Health Secretary Janet Garin on Monday said that the fireworks-related injuries have reached 839 cases as of January 4.

Although the current number is lower than last year's 850 (January 4, 2015), the number of active igniters were younger during the revelries welcoming 2016.

"Tumaas ang incidence ng less than 14 years old at ang karamihan dito bata. Kaya ang ating igniters nag-shift to a younger generation. And again it's piccolo," Garin said at a press conference.

On the same day last year, DOH recorded 440 injuries among kids but the number went up to 458 in 2016.

"The injuries are getting less severe, however, the patients are getting younger," she added. 

Garin also reported that piccolo is still the top culprit of fireworks-related injuries with an 11 percent increase of its users.

"Kung matanggal ang piccolo, ang laki po talaga ng maitutulong hindi lang po para sa atin kundi para sa ating mga bata," she said.

Garin said there were 358 piccolo victims during the revelries welcoming 2016. Of that number, 267 patients or 74 percent were below 14 years old but most of them were between 7 to 8 years old.

"Kung talagang wala siya at hindi siya binibenta, talagang walang bata ang patuloy na nasasaktan," she added. — Trisha Macas/RSJ, GMA News