Causes of death

The 2 most important groups of causes of death in the Flemish Region in 2021 were cancer (or other neoplasms) (25%) and diseases of the cardiovascular system (24%). Almost half of all deaths in 2021 could be attributed to these 2 groups of causes of death. The number of deaths from cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system increased slightly between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, there were 16,225 deaths from cancer (+92 compared to 2020) and 15,701 deaths from diseases of the cardiovascular system (+220 compared to 2020). At the same time, 5,368 people died in 2021 from the consequences of a Covid-19 infection, a halving compared to 2020. In 2021 this was 8% of the total number of deaths.

The number of deaths from diseases of the cardiovascular system is slowly decreasing. The number of deaths from cancer or other neoplasms remains approximately at the same level. In 2019, for the first time, the number of deaths from cancer was higher than the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases.

Cancer was the leading cause of death among men in 2021. 9,031 men died of cancer, equivalent to 27% of all male deaths. Cardiovascular disease came in second place (7,446 deaths or 23%), followed by Covid-19 infection (3,047 deaths or 9%).

With regards to women, cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death (8,255 deaths or 26% of all deaths in women), followed by cancer (7,194 deaths or 23%) and Covid-19 infection (2,321 deaths or 7%).

Just over half of cancer deaths occur in people aged 75 or older. This is the case for both men and women. In deaths from cardiovascular disease and from Covid-19, the share of deaths in the oldest age groups is even higher.

The mortality ratio for cancer or other neoplasms and for cardiovascular disease in 2021 in the Flemish Region was approximately at the same level as in the Walloon Region. The mortality ratio expresses the number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. In the Brussels Region, the mortality ratio for cardiovascular disease and for cancer or other neoplasms is much lower. For deaths due to Covid-19, the mortality ratio in the Flemish and Brussels Regions is slightly lower than in the Walloon Region.