MANILA, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Nearly 600 people were injured by fireworks in the Philippines during celebrations leading up to the New Year, health officials said.
As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, 599 injuries were recorded between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1, and 143 of the victims were children, the Philippine Daily Inquirer.net reported.
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The injuries amount to a 40 percent increase from last year.
The Department of Health said a banned firework, the piccolo, was responsible for the most injuries.
The Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila recorded the highest number of fireworks patients, the newspaper website said.
