Dense fog engulfed Delhi on Sunday morning, with the temperature dipping to 5.3 degrees Celsius. The air quality stood at 444 'severe' category as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
In Delhi, the simple act of breathing has become a gamble with life. The city's air has become a lethal shortening of life spans, claiming hundreds of lives annually. It is not just an 'air issue'—it is a national health emergency that is claiming our lungs before our time.
Delhi has recorded over 9,200 deaths due to respiratory illnesses in 2024. The number rose from 8,801 in 2023.
Common types of respiratory illnesses include asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer, and Tuberculosis, often causing breathing-related issues.
Circulatory diseases were found to be the top cause of death in 2024. The overall death rate has also spiked.
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Compared to the 1,32,391 deaths in 2023, the total number of deaths in Delhi rose to 1,39,480 in 2024.
The rate of infant deaths (those under one year of age) in Delhi improved slightly to 22.4 per 1,000 live births, down from the 23.61 recorded in 2023.
According to the latest data, 21,262 deaths were due to circulatory disease--common types include choked artery, stroke and heart failure. In 2023, this number was 15,714.
Infectious and parasitic diseases—typically spread by bacteria, viruses, or fungi through contaminated food and water—were the second leading cause of death in Delhi, claiming 16,060 lives. This marks a notable decrease from the 20,781 deaths recorded in the previous year.
Meanwhile, the city saw 3,06,459 live births in 2024, a decline of 8,628 from 2023. Consequently, the birth rate dipped from 14.66 to 14, while the death rate saw a slight uptick from 6.16 to 6.37 (both measured per 1,000 people).
