In the week ending August 7, there were 1,883 deaths in the state. 23 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.9 percent were from cancer and 4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.8 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 | Number of Deaths 2021-08-07 | Number of Deaths 2021-07-31 |
---|---|---|
Heart disease | 433 | 454 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 412 | 419 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 100 | 105 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 89 | 81 |
Alzheimer's disease | 69 | 75 |
Diabetes mellitus | 51 | 48 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 42 | 31 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 33 | 24 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 33 | 22 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 17 | 12 |
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths 2021-08-07 | Number of Deaths 2021-07-31 |
---|---|---|
Alzheimer disease and dementia | 146 | 135 |