Gem State Wire

There were 14 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Idaho in the week ending Sept. 3, making up 6.4% of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Sept. 3, there were 218 deaths in the state. 15.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 25.7% were from cancer and less than 4.6% 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.

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	56	25.7
Heart disease	34	15.6
Alzheimer's disease	17	7.8
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	14	6.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	10	4.6
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 4.6
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 4.6
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 4.6
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 4.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 4.6