Old North News

There were 47 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in North Carolina in the week ending June 12, making up nine percent of total deaths by all causes in North Carolina, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 12, there were 524 deaths in the state. 13.7 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 17 percent were from cancer and 19.3 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.6 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	89	17
Heart disease	72	13.7
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	54	10.3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	47	9
Alzheimer's disease	23	4.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	21	4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	10	1.9
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.9
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 1.9

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	40	7.6