There were 196 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Texas in the week ending August 21, making up 3.2 percent of total deaths by all causes in Texas, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending August 21, there were 6,212 deaths in the state. 15.8 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 13.8 percent were from cancer and 56.8 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 6.4 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
Heart disease	984	15.8
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	860	13.8
Cerebrovascular diseases	251	4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	196	3.2
Alzheimer's disease	177	2.8
Diabetes mellitus	152	2.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	108	1.7
Influenza and pneumonia	53	0.9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	1,718	27.7
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	1,813	29.2

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	397	6.4