Hoosier State Today

There were 103 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Indiana in the week ending December 25, making up 24.2 percent of total deaths by all causes in Indiana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending December 25, there were 425 deaths in the state. 19.1 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 17.4 percent were from cancer and 50.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.4 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	111	26.1
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	103	24.2
Heart disease	81	19.1
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	74	17.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	30	7.1
Cerebrovascular diseases	15	3.5
Alzheimer's disease	11	2.6
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 2.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 2.4
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 2.4

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	40	9.4