First State Times

There were less than 10 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Delaware in the week ending June 24, making up less than 4.7% of total deaths by all causes in Delaware, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 24, there were 214 deaths in the state. 18.2% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 23.8% were from cancer and less than 4.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.9% 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)	51	23.8
Heart disease	39	18.2
Cerebrovascular diseases	25	11.7
Alzheimer's disease	10	4.7
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 4.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 4.7
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 4.7
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 4.7
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 4.7
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 4.7

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	19	8.9