First State Times

There were less than 10 deaths from diabetes mellitus reported in Delaware in the week ending July 8, making up less than 5.2% of total deaths by all causes in Delaware, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 8, there were 194 deaths in the state. 22.2% of deaths were caused by heart disease and 23.7% were from cancer Additionally, 7.2% 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)	46	23.7
Heart disease	43	22.2
Cerebrovascular diseases	18	9.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 5.2
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 5.2
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 5.2
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 5.2
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 5.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	0	0

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	14	7.2