In the week ending Aug. 20, there were 2,056 deaths in the state. 22% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21% were from cancer and 8.6% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.3% 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 | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 20 | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 13 |
---|---|---|
Heart disease | 453 | 437 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 432 | 467 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 116 | 115 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 99 | 71 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 82 | 85 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 77 | 49 |
Alzheimer's disease | 62 | 59 |
Diabetes mellitus | 50 | 48 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 44 | 41 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 23 | 21 |
Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 20 | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 13 |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 192 | 176 |