In the week ending Sept. 24, there were 2,099 deaths in the state. 22% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.8% were from cancer and 6.1% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.2% 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 | Deaths in Week Ending Sept. 24 | Deaths in Week Ending Sept. 17 |
---|---|---|
Heart disease | 461 | 458 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 458 | 430 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 112 | 116 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 92 | 82 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 78 | 81 |
Alzheimer's disease | 59 | 68 |
Diabetes mellitus | 55 | 49 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 50 | 36 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 50 | 49 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 33 | 33 |
Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending Sept. 24 | Deaths in Week Ending Sept. 17 |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 173 | 197 |