In the week ending July 1, there were 1,695 deaths in the state. 20.9% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.8% were from cancer and 0.6% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.8% 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 | 354 | 20.9 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 336 | 19.8 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 105 | 6.2 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 91 | 5.4 |
Alzheimer's disease | 74 | 4.4 |
Diabetes mellitus | 49 | 2.9 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 46 | 2.7 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 20 | 1.2 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 11 | 0.6 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | < 0.6 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 150 | 8.8 |