Delhi recorded 9,211 deaths related to respiratory diseases in 2024, according to the latest data released by the Delhi government. This shows an increase compared to 8,801 such deaths in 2023. Respiratory diseases include illnesses that affect breathing, such as asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer, and tuberculosis. The data was reported by news agency PTI.

Even though deaths due to respiratory problems increased, they were not the biggest cause of death in Delhi last year. The highest number of deaths in 2024 were caused by diseases of the circulatory system, such as heart-related conditions. These diseases led to 21,262 deaths, making them the leading cause. This was followed by infectious and parasitic diseases, which claimed 16,060 lives during the year.

Deaths due to mental and behavioural disorders were much lower in comparison, with 62 deaths recorded in 2024. Overall, the total number of deaths in Delhi continued to rise. In 2024, the city registered 1.39 lakh deaths, up from 1.32 lakh deaths in 2023. On average, Delhi reported 381 deaths every day in 2024, compared to 363 deaths per day the previous year.

Looking at gender-wise data, 85,391 deaths were among men, 54,051 among women, and 38 deaths were recorded among people classified under other genders. Out of the total deaths, 90,883 were medically certified, meaning they were confirmed by doctors.

At the same time, the number of births in Delhi declined. In 2024, the city recorded 3,06,459 births, which is lower than 3,15,087 births in 2023. The average number of daily births fell to 837 in 2024, compared to 863 in the previous year.

The sex ratio at birth also dropped slightly, from 922 in 2023 to 920 in 2024. This means there were 920 girls born for every 1,000 boys. These figures were collected from 100 major hospitals, which account for nearly 70% of all registered births in Delhi.

There was some positive news as well. Delhi’s Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) showed a small improvement. It declined to 22.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, compared to 23.61 in 2023. IMR refers to the number of babies who die before reaching one year of age.

The birth rate in Delhi dropped from 14.66 to 14 per 1,000 people, while the death rate increased from 6.16 to 6.37. Delhi’s population is expected to reach 2.65 crore by 2036, according to projections.