There were 477 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Pennsylvania during the week ending October 16, a 8.7 percent increase over the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending October 16, there were 3,063 deaths in the state. 18.6 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 16.9 percent were from cancer and 32.3 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.2 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 | Number of Deaths 2021-10-16 | Number of Deaths 2021-10-09 |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 570 | 641 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 518 | 498 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 511 | 491 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 477 | 439 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 133 | 99 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 127 | 138 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 75 | 77 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 67 | 76 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 56 | 59 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 39 | 32 |
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths 2021-10-16 | Number of Deaths 2021-10-09 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 221 | 248 |
