There were less than 10 deaths from Alzheimer’s disease reported in West Virginia in the week ending July 16, making up less than 3.1% of total deaths by all causes in West Virginia, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending July 16, there were 326 deaths in the state. 19% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.2% were from cancer and 7.7% were from COVID-19.
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) | 66 | 20.2 |
| Heart disease | 62 | 19 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 24 | 7.4 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 19 | 5.8 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 15 | 4.6 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 14 | 4.3 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 12 | 3.7 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 11 | 3.4 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 3.1 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | < 10 | < 3.1 |
