Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9) — Hundreds of devotees who participated in the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Tuesday sought medical assistance, according to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
The PRC said its more than 1,000 volunteers responded to requests for medical aid, including 706 patients who were treated for major and minor injuries suffered during the Traslacion.
Some of the more serious cases involved treatment for head trauma, laceration, incision, fainting and severe chest pain. It said 215 devotees suffered minor injuries while 257 had their vital signs checked.
PRC volunteers also transported 34 people to their emergency field hospital, including a pregnant woman complaining of abdominal pain. She was eventually brought to the Philippine General Hospital, along with an individual who suffered a second-degree burn.
The PRC said it deployed 10 first aid stations, 10 welfare desks, one emergency field hospital, 18 ambulances, one fire truck, a food truck, and a rescue boat for the Traslacion.
Returning after a three-year hiatus, the procession began at around 4:45 a.m. at the Quirino Grandstand and ended at 7:44 p.m. after 15 hours at the Quiapo Church.
Crowd estimates of the number of devotees who participated in the Feast of the Black Nazarene and the Traslacion itself vary from 3 to 6 million people.
