In the week ending Nov. 12, there were 1,517 deaths in the state. 21% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18.9% were from cancer and 5.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 12.1% 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 | 318 | 21 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 287 | 18.9 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 82 | 5.4 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 65 | 4.3 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 51 | 3.4 |
Alzheimer's disease | 50 | 3.3 |
Diabetes mellitus | 47 | 3.1 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 36 | 2.4 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 32 | 2.1 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 14 | 0.9 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 183 | 12.1 |