First State Times

There were 10 deaths from cerebrovascular diseases reported in Delaware in the week ending July 10, making up 5.8 percent of total deaths by all causes in Delaware, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 10, there were 171 deaths in the state. 21.6 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 22.2 percent were from cancer and less than 5.8 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	38	22.2
Heart disease	37	21.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	10	5.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 5.8
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 5.8
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 5.8
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 5.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 5.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 5.8
Influenza and pneumonia	0	0