Gem State Wire

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in Idaho in the week ending Nov. 12, making up less than 2.9% of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Nov. 12, there were 345 deaths in the state. 18.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.4% were from cancer and less than 2.9% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.9% 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	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	74	21.4
Heart disease	64	18.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	21	6.1
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	17	4.9
Alzheimer's disease	15	4.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 2.9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 2.9
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 2.9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 2.9
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 2.9

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	34	9.9