There were 33 deaths with Alzheimer’s disease listed as the underlying cause reported in Mississippi during the week ending June 17, a 26.9% increase over the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending June 17, there were 605 deaths in the state. 24.5% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 23% were from cancer and less than 1.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.1% 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 | Deaths in Week Ending June 17 | Deaths in Week Ending June 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 148 | 173 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 139 | 121 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 33 | 26 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 32 | 34 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 30 | 33 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 15 | 22 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 14 | 11 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | 10 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | < 10 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | < 10 | 10 |
| Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending June 17 | Deaths in Week Ending June 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 49 | 52 |
