Old North News

There were less than 10 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in North Carolina in the week ending July 24, making up less than 1.4 percent of total deaths by all causes in North Carolina, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 24, there were 695 deaths in the state. 15.1 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 16.1 percent were from cancer and 16.1 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)	112	16.1
Heart disease	105	15.1
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	59	8.5
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	53	7.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	36	5.2
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	29	4.2
Alzheimer's disease	24	3.5
Diabetes mellitus	14	2
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.4

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	53	7.6