MANILA: The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday reported a second death due to fireworks, also from the Ilocos Region and a companion of the first fatality. The additional fatality was a 44-year-old-male who was in the same blasting incident reported by the DOH on Jan 2. The first recorded death was a 38-year-old male who lit a cigarette while drinking with his companions near a firecracker storage. The DOH also reported 15 new cases -- four more confirmed stray bullet injuries (SBIs) and 11 fireworks-related injuries. The new confirmed SBIs were a 28-year-old female from Calabarzon Region who sustained a gunshot wound to her right arm while watching fireworks outside their home; a 22-year-old female (left ear) and her 26-year-old brother (upper right back) from the Ilocos Region after their neighbor fired a gun; and a 22-year-old male from Northern Mindanao (right arm). From Dec. 21, 2023 until 6 a.m. of Jan. 5, the DOH has recorded 600 injuries -- 592 due to fireworks, one ingestion and seven SBIs. F ifty-three are still in hospitals. More than half or 313 cases are from the National Capital Region; 61 are from the Ilocos Region; 49 are from Calabarzon; and 42 are from Central Luzon. The regions with the lowest number of injuries are Davao with two cases; Eastern Visayas, 3; and Mimaropa, 3. About 64 percent of the fireworks related injuries are caused by kwitis (mini skyrocket), Five Star, "Pla-pla," Whistle Bomb, luces (sparklers), boga (improvised cannon) and fountain fireworks. Source: Philippines News Agency