In the week ending July 15, there were 1,952 deaths in the state. 22.8% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.7% were from cancer and 0.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.9% 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 | 446 | 22.8 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 405 | 20.7 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 121 | 6.2 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 77 | 3.9 |
Alzheimer's disease | 70 | 3.6 |
Diabetes mellitus | 62 | 3.2 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 38 | 1.9 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 25 | 1.3 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 14 | 0.7 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | < 0.5 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 173 | 8.9 |