First State Times

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in Delaware in the week ending Nov. 12, making up less than 4.8% of total deaths by all causes in Delaware, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Nov. 12, there were 209 deaths in the state. 21.5% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 22.5% were from cancer and less than 4.8% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.7% 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)	47	22.5
Heart disease	45	21.5
Cerebrovascular diseases	11	5.3
Alzheimer's disease	10	4.8
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	10	4.8
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 4.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 4.8
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 4.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 4.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 4.8

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	16	7.7