Gem State Wire

There were 26 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Idaho in the week ending January 1, making up 13.6 percent of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending January 1, there were 191 deaths in the state. 20.4 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 14.1 percent were from cancer and 28.8 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 14.7 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
Heart disease	39	20.4
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	29	15.2
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	27	14.1
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	26	13.6
Alzheimer's disease	12	6.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	12	6.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 5.2
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 5.2
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 5.2
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 5.2

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	28	14.7