Firecracker-related injuries have matched during the 2018 tally as New Year celebrations near, the Department of Health (DOH) said Sunday.

Based on Fireworks-Related Injury Surveillance 2019 Report No. 8, there are a total of 46 cases between December 21 to December 29 as of 6 am. No deaths have been reported.

"It has already matched the number of cases in 2018. So this is not a good sign as the number may equal, if not exceed, the total for the entire period (for 2018)," said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in a television interview.

"Also, I think the public have the capacity to buy fireworks despite them being expensive. So, there are those that are insistent and do not heed our repeated appeal to welcome the New Year safely," added Duque.

All 46 injuries were caused by firecrackers or fireworks, with 33 being blast or burn injuries not requiring amputation; 14 sustaining eye injuries; and one blast or burn injury requiring amputation. Two sustained multiple types of injuries.

Illegal firecrackers piccolo and boga caused the most number of injuries with six each; while 5-star, kwitis, and luces caused four injuries each.

Eighteen injuries came from the National Capital Region; followed by Ilocos with five; and Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Bicol with four each.

In NCR, Manila saw the most cases with 11; followed by Quezon City with three; and Marikina City with two. DMS