Nine new cases have been added to the growing record of fireworks-related injuries, bringing the total caseload to 609 as of Saturday.

All new fresh cases, recorded between 6 a.m. of 5 January and 5:59 a.m. of 6 January, are injuries linked to fireworks, based on the latest and final bulletin of the Department of Health released yesterday.

However, the Health agency added there could be a further increase in the cases reported within the day.

DoH data showed that the nine new cases consisted of individuals aged between 8 and 55 years old (median age: 25), with nearly seven out of 10 cases being males.

Eighty-nine percent of these new cases happened at home and on the streets.

According to the DoH, 78 percent of the totality of the cases were caused by legal fireworks. The latest injury occurred on 4 January.

The DoH reported that four, or 44 percent, were admitted to the hospital due to their injuries.

"There are still reported cases of stray bullet injuries being validated, hence the number may change in next few days," the DoH said.

 The confirmed number of cases is still being validated by the Philippine National Police.

The monitoring for tetanus cases, meanwhile, will continue until the 25th of January, since the maximum incubation period is 21 days, with an average duration of 14 days.

Overall, the DoH recorded 609 injuries, with 601 due to fireworks, one due to watusi ingestion and seven SBIs.

Based on the DoH data, over half of the cases (320 or 52 percent) were from Metro Manila, followed by Ilocos Region (61 or 10 percent), CALABARZON (49 or 8 percent), and Central Luzon (43 or 7 percent).

"As to types of injuries, 33 (5 percent) had blasts/burns with amputation; 447 (74 percent) had blasts/burns without amputation; 155 (26 percent) had eye injuries with 1 confirmed blindness; and 2 had hearing loss," the DoH said, noting that the numbers as to types of injuries are not additive as some cases had multiple injuries.

The DoH surveillance started on 21 December.