Gem State Wire

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Idaho in the week ending July 15, making up less than 3.4% of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 15, there were 296 deaths in the state. 19.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.3% were from cancer and less than 3.4% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.1% 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)	57	19.3
Heart disease	57	19.3
Cerebrovascular diseases	15	5.1
Alzheimer's disease	14	4.7
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 3.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 3.4
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 3.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 3.4
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 3.4
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 3.4

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	27	9.1