Constitution State News

There were 97 deaths from cancer reported in Connecticut in the week ending June 19, 2021, making up 24.9% of total deaths by all causes in Connecticut, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 19, 2021, there were 389 deaths in the state. 18.5% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 24.9% were from cancer and less than 2.6% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 11.3% 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)	97	24.9
Heart disease	72	18.5
Cerebrovascular diseases	21	5.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	14	3.6
Diabetes mellitus	13	3.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 2.6
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 2.6
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 2.6
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 2.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 2.6

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	44	11.3