In the week ending Dec. 17, there were 891 deaths in the state. 28.8% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18% were from cancer and 6.8% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.2% 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 | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Heart disease | 257 | 28.8 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 160 | 18 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 58 | 6.5 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 51 | 5.7 |
Alzheimer's disease | 37 | 4.2 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 37 | 4.2 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 25 | 2.8 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 24 | 2.7 |
Diabetes mellitus | 23 | 2.6 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 17 | 1.9 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 82 | 9.2 |