KORONADAL CITY: At least 63 persons were injured due to firecracker-related cases in the Soccsksargen region from Dec. 21, 2023 to Jan. 2, 2024, the regional Department of Health (DOH-12) said Tuesday. Dr. Dyan Zubelle Parayao, DOH-12 Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) head, said the number of injuries was 133 percent higher compared to the cases logged from Dec. 21 2022 to Jan. 1 2023. 'It is also 125 percent higher than the past five years' average of 28 cases,' Parayao said in the latest RESU bulletin. Topping the list of firecracker victims is South Cotabato with 31, followed by North Cotabato with 15, Sarangani with 9, and Sultan Kudarat and General Santos City with 4 each. Parayao said the youngest victim was a five-year-old boy and the eldest was a 68-year-old man. Of the 63 victims, two victims required amputation of fingers. Forty-nine patients have been treated and sent home, six were admitted, three were referred to another hospital and five refused hospital admission. 'Forty -six (73 percent) of the injured were actively lighting the fireworks and most of the injuries (75 percent) occurred at home,' Parayao said. She added that 13 (21 percent) of the victims were allegedly intoxicated with alcohol at the time of the injury. Source: Philippines News Agency