There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Delaware during the week ending March 5, a decrease from the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending March 5, there were 137 deaths in the state. 15.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 17.5% were from cancer and 8.8% were from COVID-19.
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 March 5 | Deaths in Week Ending Feb. 26 |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 24 | 49 |
| Heart disease | 21 | 32 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 12 | 17 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 12 | 19 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 11 | 10 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 10 | < 10 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 10 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | < 10 | < 10 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | < 10 | < 10 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | 16 |
