Respiratory illness deaths fall by 10% in one year

The number of people dying due to respiratory illnesses has dropped by almost 10% in one year, a report has said.

Deaths from these conditions fell from 4,981 in 2013 to 4,444 in 2014.

The first respiratory annual health report shows a higher percentage of people in Wales being treated for these illnesses than other parts of the UK.

Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething said people will "have timely access to high-quality care".

Respiratory conditions include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and emphysema.

In Wales, just over 7% of people registered with a GP have asthma, compared to about 6% in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Mr Gething added: "We want to ensure people of all ages value good lung health and are aware of the dangers of smoking.

"We want everyone to take personal responsibility for their lifestyle choices and reduce the risk of acquiring a respiratory condition."

Health problems

• More than 227,00 people are being treated for asthma and 69,385 adults are being treated for COPD in Wales

• People living in deprived areas are more likely to be receiving treatment for respiratory conditions

• One in seven deaths are due to respiratory disease