BAGUIO CITY: The Department of Health reported that 34 cases of firecracker-related injuries were noted as the city celebrated New Year—the casualties includes a seven-year-old boy from Abra with one of his hands mangled by firecracker and had to be sawn off.

Nicolas Gordo Jr., Department of Health Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief, said that there is a sudden decrease of cases of firecracker injuries, 35 percent lower than last year’s 52 cases and 92 cases registered in 2010.

Most of the injuries include blast burns, eye injuries, some injuries resulted in mangled fingers that often lead to amputation, he said.

The decrease in firecracker injuries was attributed to the city officials and police campaign against pyrotechnics.

From last year’s 25 cases of firecracker-related injuries in Baguio, there were only six cases this year.

He said that some of these cases might have come from other nearby provinces as reports have reached them that some of those injured were only treated at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Cordillera provinces noted decreases in firecracker injuries but Abra continued to top the list of the number of injured with 13 injuries recorded, followed by Baguio and Benguet recording six cases each, Apayao province with four recorded injuries and Ifugao province with three recorded injuries.

Among the Cordillera provinces, Mountain Province and Kalinga registered only an injury respectively, which means campaigns against firecrackers were also successful in their areas.

Gordo said that piccolo continued to rank first among the type of firecrackers that caused injuries, with 12. He said this type of firecracker remains high-risk especially to children.

Other firecrackers that caused injuries include plapla, fountain, kwitis, whistle bomb, mother rocket, three-star and five-star.