Pneumonia surpasses ischaemic heart disease as leading cause of death in Malaysia.

In 2023, pneumonia became the leading cause of death in Malaysia, with 18,181 fatalities, representing 15.2% of 119,952 medically certified deaths. This marks the first time in 20 years that pneumonia has surpassed ischaemic heart disease. The increase in pneumonia deaths is linked to post-pandemic effects and respiratory infections, particularly affecting individuals with weakened immune systems. Ischaemic heart disease remains the second leading cause of death.