Blast victims warned vs tetanus infection
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2019 08:10:48 +0000
THE Department of Health (DoH) reiterated its advice to those who sustained even a minor firecracker blast or burn injury to seek medical help to prevent tetanus infection.
Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo said that tetanus infection is not dependent on the wound’s size or severity.
“Even minor wounds have to be assessed for anti-tetanus treatment,” said Domingo.
“Even minor wounds are at risk for tetanus, which is almost always fatal,” he added.
The health official advised those who sustained firecracker injuries to immediately consult a doctor for proper wound management.
“We would like to remind all people who suffered burn or blast injuries to please have themselves seen by a health professional,” he said.
The DoH said that tetanus infection “occurs when spores of Clostridium tetani pathogens enter the body through wounds or breaches in the skin such as the injuries caused by firecrackers, sharp objects, and various trauma events.”
Meanwhile, firecracker-related injuries has climbed to 288 cases as of Thursday morning.
The DoH said that the figure is “43 percent lower compared to the same reporting period in 2018.”
Majority of the victims are males (230) while the age range is from 2 to 76 years old, the DoH noted. (Analou de Vera)