In the week ending Oct. 22, there were 2,185 deaths in the state. 22.5% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.2% were from cancer and 7.3% 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.
Pennsylvania top 10 causes of death in week ending Oct. 22
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 491 | 22.5 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 442 | 20.2 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 125 | 5.7 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 96 | 4.4 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 91 | 4.2 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 71 | 3.2 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 63 | 2.9 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 49 | 2.2 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 39 | 1.8 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 38 | 1.7 |
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