Cracker-burn cases pour in post-Diwali, 100 reported in govt hospitals alone

New Delhi: At Least 100 cases of burn injuries were reported by various hospitals in the national capital this Diwali, hospital sources said on Friday.

The Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, which has the largest burn unit in the country, received 50 burn cases, of which 43 patients suffered minor burns (less than 20 per cent) and were treated as out-patients, while seven with major burns (more than 20 per cent) were admitted.

A total of 36 of these cases were inflicted by crackers and 14 by flames from earthen lamps.

“Of the seven patients admitted, five were ‘diya’ (earthen lamps) burns and two were cracker-burn cases. Five patients were operated upon. Four of them were less than 12 years of age,” a senior doctor at Safdarjung hospital said.

On November 3, the hospital had received 12 minor burn cases.

“As compared to last year, this year the influx of patients has almost doubled which could be due to decreased fear of Covid-19 among people in view of the reduced number of cases,” the doctor said.

Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital received 23 patients, of which 19 had suffered cracker-related burn injuries, and the rest were burnt by ‘diyas’. Two of them were major cases and had to be admitted.

“Majority of cracker-burn cases had injuries on face and hands. Most of these were children,” Dr Manoj Jha, Head of Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery at RML Hospital, said.

The Emergency department of Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at the AIIMS received around 33 patients in the last two days with firecracker injuries.

A total of 18 of these were admitted for surgery and further management.

According to Dr J S Titiyal, the centre’s chief, most of these patients were males.

“The numbers are more than last year, but less than the pre-Covid times. Pre-Covid, the average was 100 patients in a Diwali week,” Dr Titiyal said.

At least six cases of burns were reported at LNJP Hospital, the largest facility under the Delhi government.

Two among these were boys aged six and nine, who sustained injuries due to bursting of firecrackers, hospital said.

A 75-year-old woman of Khajuri area also sustained burn injury, a senior doctor said.

The other three burn patients, that included a 14-year-old, were referred to another hospital, hospital authorities said.

A number of similar cases were reported at other city hospitals too.