Old North News

There were 143 deaths from cancer reported in North Carolina in the week ending August 14, making up 16.2 percent of total deaths by all causes in North Carolina, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending August 14, there were 881 deaths in the state. 13.2 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 16.2 percent were from cancer and 49.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.2 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
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	222	25.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	213	24.2
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	143	16.2
Heart disease	116	13.2
Cerebrovascular diseases	34	3.9
Alzheimer's disease	29	3.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	16	1.8
Diabetes mellitus	15	1.7
Influenza and pneumonia	12	1.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	63	7.2