Peach Tree Times

There were 20 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in Georgia in the week ending July 24, making up 1.2 percent of total deaths by all causes in Georgia, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 24, there were 1,711 deaths in the state. 19.3 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.6 percent were from cancer and 8.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.2 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	370	21.6
Heart disease	330	19.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	91	5.3
Cerebrovascular diseases	88	5.1
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	77	4.5
Alzheimer's disease	70	4.1
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	66	3.9
Diabetes mellitus	45	2.6
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	43	2.5
Influenza and pneumonia	20	1.2

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	141	8.2