In the week ending July 15, there were 919 deaths in the state. 21.1% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.7% were from cancer and less than 1.1% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.4% 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 |
---|---|---|
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 199 | 21.7 |
Heart disease | 194 | 21.1 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 64 | 7 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 39 | 4.2 |
Diabetes mellitus | 35 | 3.8 |
Alzheimer's disease | 17 | 1.8 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 12 | 1.3 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 12 | 1.3 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | < 1.1 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | < 10 | < 1.1 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 86 | 9.4 |