Delhi witnessed over 9,200 respiratory deaths in 2024; birth rate declined: Government data

Delhi recorded 9,211 deaths linked to respiratory ailments in 2024, seeing an increase from 8,801 deaths in 2023, according to the latest data released by the Delhi government. Respiratory-related fatalities were attributed to illnesses such as asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer, and tuberculosis, all of which affect breathing functions, news agency PTI reported. Despite the rise, respiratory diseases were not the leading cause of death. Diseases of the circulatory system topped the list in 2024 with 21,262 fatalities, followed by infectious and parasitic diseases, which claimed 16,060 lives.

Mental and behavioural disorders accounted for 62 deaths during the year. Overall mortality in the national capital continued to climb. Total registered deaths increased to 1.39 lakh in 2024, compared with 1.32 lakh the previous year. Respiratory-related deaths have shown a consistent upward trend over recent years. Gender-wise data showed that 85,391 deaths were among men, 54,051 among women, and 38 among individuals classified under other genders. Of the total deaths, 90,883 were medically certified.

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Birth registrations declined during the year. Delhi recorded 3,06,459 births in 2024, down from 3,15,087 in 2023. On average, the city reported 381 deaths per day in 2024, up from 363 daily deaths in 2023. Meanwhile, daily births fell to 837 from 863 a year earlier. The sex ratio at birth dropped slightly to 920 in 2024, compared to 922 in 2023. The figures were compiled monthly from 100 major hospitals, which together accounted for nearly 70% of all registered births in the Delhi region. Delhi also saw a modest improvement in its Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), which declined to 22.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024 from 23.61 in the previous year. IMR measures the number of deaths among infants below one year of age.

The birth rate in the capital fell to 14 per 1,000 people in 2024 from 14.66 in 2023, while the death rate rose from 6.16 to 6.37 over the same period. The city’s population is projected to reach 2.65 crore by 2036.