Yellowhammer Times

There were 198 deaths from cancer reported in Alabama in the week ending August 21, making up 12.8 percent of total deaths by all causes in Alabama, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending August 21, there were 1,551 deaths in the state. 20.3 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 12.8 percent were from cancer and 52.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 6.1 percent of deaths were from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Studies show doctors and medical examiners may underreport Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related conditions as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Once infected, older adults with dementia are likely to develop a more severe and dangerous illness. The diseases which make an older adult more vulnerable to COVID-19 are age-associated chronic conditions, according to the Bright Focus Foundation.

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	415	26.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	397	25.6
Heart disease	315	20.3
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	198	12.8
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	76	4.9
Cerebrovascular diseases	59	3.8
Alzheimer's disease	48	3.1
Diabetes mellitus	31	2
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	26	1.7
Influenza and pneumonia	19	1.2

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	94	6.1