In the week ending July 29, there were 3,929 deaths in the state. 19.7% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.3% were from cancer and 1.2% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.9% 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 |
---|---|---|
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 837 | 21.3 |
Heart disease | 773 | 19.7 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 200 | 5.1 |
Alzheimer's disease | 168 | 4.3 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 147 | 3.7 |
Diabetes mellitus | 107 | 2.7 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 86 | 2.2 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 43 | 1.1 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 27 | 0.7 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 19 | 0.5 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 390 | 9.9 |