Constitution State News

There were 116 deaths from cancer reported in Connecticut in the week ending May 22, 2021, making up 21.4% of total deaths by all causes in Connecticut, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 22, 2021, there were 542 deaths in the state. 18.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.4% were from cancer and 4.4% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.6% 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)	116	21.4
Heart disease	101	18.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	22	4.1
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	19	3.5
Alzheimer's disease	15	2.8
Diabetes mellitus	12	2.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	12	2.2
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	12	2.2
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.8

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	52	9.6