There were 20 deaths with cerebrovascular disease listed as the underlying cause reported in West Virginia during the week ending Aug. 27, 2022, a 9.1% decrease from the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending Aug. 27, 2022, there were 453 deaths in the state. 17.9% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.3% were from cancer and 13.2% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.3% 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 | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 27, 2022 | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 20, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 92 | 89 |
| Heart disease | 81 | 73 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 35 | 34 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 27 | 27 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 25 | 24 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 20 | 22 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 16 | 16 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 14 | 14 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | 10 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | < 10 | 10 |
| Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 27, 2022 | Deaths in Week Ending Aug. 20, 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 42 | 33 |
