Causes of death

• There were 183,131 deaths in 2023, a 4.1% decline from 2022. 
• Ischaemic heart disease remained the leading cause of death, but less than 250 deaths separate it from dementia which was the second leading cause. 
• COVID-19 was the 9th leading cause of death accounting for just over 5,000 deaths. 

Statistics on doctor certified death registrations

• 108,948 deaths occurred between January and July 2024, 2.1% more than 2023 but 2.7% fewer than 2022.
• 17,366 deaths occurred in July 2024, 4.7% more than 2023 but 5.3% fewer than 2022.
• There were 488 deaths due to COVID-19 in July 2024, down from 669 deaths in June (see article).