The Guardian: Heart disease, cancer and diabetes were biggest killers of 2019, says WHO
“Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes are now the leading causes of death in the world, in a dramatic change from two decades ago. They now make up seven of the top 10 causes of death, an increase from four out of 10 in 2000, with heart disease the biggest killer — accounting for 16% of all deaths. According to estimates published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are now among the top 10 causes of death, while deaths from diabetes increased 70% globally between 2000 and 2019…” (Hodal, 12/10).

VOA News: WHO: People Living Longer, but With More Disabilities
“New global health estimates find people are living six years longer now than 20 years ago, but many more people are living with disabilities that affect their quality of life. The World Health Organization reports life expectancy has gone up from 67 years to 73 years since 2000. Over this period, it notes progress has been made in reducing deaths from a number of communicable diseases. For example, the WHO says HIV/AIDS has dropped from the 8th leading cause of death in 2000 to the 19th in 2019. And tuberculosis, it says, no longer figures among the global top 10 ranked diseases, falling from 7th place to 13th position over the past two decades…” (Schlein, 12/9).

Additional coverage of the WHO’s estimates is available from NPR, The Telegraph, U.N. News, and UPI.