The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 10 firecracker-related injuries as of Saturday, lower by 15 cases compared to last year but continuously cautions the public not to use firecrackers especially in welcoming the new year.

“Yung monitoring natin nag umpisa nung December 21 , as of 6 am today meron na tayong 10 kaso. Anim ay mga related o apektado itong ating mga extremeties, pero wala namang mga severe which requires hospitalization wala rin pong namatay dito sa firecracker injury (Our monitoring started last December 21, as of 6 a.m. today we have 10 cases. Six cases have affected their extremities but we do not have severe cases that require hospitalization and no deaths so far),” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the Laging Handa public briefing aired over PTV4.

Vergeire said they hope that this number will not increase so as not to add burden to the country’s health and hospital facilities.

She said the DOH never ceases to remind the public to be cautious as the New Year celebration draws near.

She called on everyone to strictly comply with the minimum public health standard and avoid using firecrackers.

Vergeire also warned those who will use firecracker that they may be charged with violations.

“Alam natin ang mga violations na ating kinakaharap kung tayo ay gumamit nito at it can cause harm to our public so sana po ay sumunod tayo sa mga pamantayan at mga patakaran ng gobyerno para tayo ay magkaron ng ligtas na pagsalubong ditto sa ating darating na taon (We know the violations that we may be facing if we use them and it can cause harm to the public so let us follow the rules so we can safely welcome the new year),” she said.

Meanwhile, Vergeire assured the DOH is closely monitoring all public health facilities, not only for the possible firecracker-related incidents but for the continuous efforts to address coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

To date, she said the country has enough hospital facilities available to address both.

She added that she also hopes that the number of new Covid-19 case stabilizes as she admits that there are specific areas like the National Capital Region that are nearing a high risk or danger zone in terms of new Covid-19 cases.

Vergeire said the DOH continuously assists health facilities in these areas in the set up of “one hospital command” in different areas. (PNA)