There were 20 deaths with Alzheimer’s disease listed as the underlying cause reported in Connecticut during the week ending June 24, a 66.7% increase over the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending June 24, there were 549 deaths in the state. 20.4% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.1% were from cancer and less than 1.8% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.1% 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 | Deaths in Week Ending June 24 | Deaths in Week Ending June 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 116 | 112 |
| Heart disease | 112 | 121 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 37 | 25 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 20 | 12 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 18 | 25 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 16 | < 10 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 10 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | < 10 | 17 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | 0 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | < 10 | < 10 |
| Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending June 24 | Deaths in Week Ending June 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 50 | 56 |
