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According to the official data released by the Delhi government, the number of deaths due to respiratory diseases is continuously increasing in the capital. In the year 2024, 9,211 deaths due to respiratory diseases were recorded in Delhi, which was 8,801 in 2023. This means that in the last few years only, there has been an increase in deaths due to these diseases, which is considered a matter of concern.
Common respiratory diseases include asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer and tuberculosis, which often cause difficulty in breathing. The biggest cause of death in 2024 was heart and blood circulation related diseases. After this there were infectious and parasitic diseases.
Slight improvement in infant mortality rate
The total number of deaths in Delhi increased to 1,39,480 in 2024, whereas last year the number was 1,32,391. Of these, 85,391 were males, 54,051 were females and 38 were under other genders. Of these, 90,883 deaths were medically certified. There has been a slight improvement in the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the capital, which was recorded at 22.4 per 1000 live births, compared to 23.61 in 2023. IMR is a measure of mortality among infants under one year of age.
More deaths due to heart diseases
According to the latest data, 21,262 deaths were due to circulatory diseases – which commonly include artery blockage, stroke and heart attack. In 2023 this number was 15,714. The second most common cause of death in the capital was infectious and parasitic diseases, at 16,060, usually caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi, often through contaminated food and water. There has been a decrease in such deaths as compared to 20,781 recorded last year.
99.1 percent people have birth certificate
The documents also said that a total of 3,06,459 live births were recorded in the city in 2024, which was 8,628 less than the previous year. According to the data, the birth rate was recorded at 14 in 2024, which is less than 14.66 in 2023, while the death rate has increased from 6.16 in 2023 to 6.37 in 2024. Birth and death rates are calculated per 1,000 people of a place. In the next 10 years, the population of Delhi is expected to increase to 2.65 crore by 2036. According to statistics, 99.1 percent of people under the age of five have birth certificates.