Mountain State Times

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in West Virginia in the week ending June 24, making up less than 2.5% of total deaths by all causes in West Virginia, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 24, there were 402 deaths in the state. 16.4% of deaths were caused by heart disease and 20.1% were from cancer Additionally, 10.7% 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)	81	20.1
Heart disease	66	16.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	29	7.2
Cerebrovascular diseases	25	6.2
Diabetes mellitus	15	3.7
Alzheimer's disease	15	3.7
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 2.5
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 2.5
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 2.5
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	43	10.7