Constitution State News

There were 23 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Connecticut in the week ending July 22, making up 3.7% of total deaths by all causes in Connecticut, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 22, there were 617 deaths in the state. 19.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 23.5% were from cancer and less than 1.6% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10.5% 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
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	145	23.5
Heart disease	121	19.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	31	5
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	23	3.7
Alzheimer's disease	17	2.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	16	2.6
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.6
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 1.6
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 1.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 1.6

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	65	10.5