In the week ending June 17, there were 5,289 deaths in the state. 21.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.3% were from cancer and 1.9% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.1% 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 |
---|---|---|
Cerebrovascular diseases | 326 | 6.2 |
Alzheimer's disease | 275 | 5.2 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 216 | 4.1 |
Diabetes mellitus | 193 | 3.6 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 85 | 1.6 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 82 | 1.6 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 61 | 1.2 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 42 | 0.8 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 1,124 | 21.3 |
Heart disease | 1,144 | 21.6 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 479 | 9.1 |