Old North News

There were less than 10 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in North Carolina in the week ending May 1, 2021, making up less than 2.7% of total deaths by all causes in North Carolina, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 1, 2021, there were 365 deaths in the state. 14.8% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 14.2% were from cancer and 40.5% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.1% 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
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	81	22.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	67	18.4
Heart disease	54	14.8
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	52	14.2
Cerebrovascular diseases	17	4.7
Alzheimer's disease	12	3.3
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 2.7
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 2.7
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 2.7
Influenza and pneumonia	0	0

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	26	7.1