In the week ending June 25, there were 668 deaths in the state. 19% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 24% were from cancer and 6.4% were from COVID-19.
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.
Indiana top 10 causes of death in week ending June 25
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 160 | 24 |
Heart disease | 127 | 19 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 49 | 7.3 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 34 | 5.1 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 24 | 3.6 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 23 | 3.4 |
Diabetes mellitus | 23 | 3.4 |
Alzheimer's disease | 23 | 3.4 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 19 | 2.8 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 11 | 1.6 |