Gem State Wire

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in Idaho in the week ending July 29, making up less than 3.7% of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 29, there were 273 deaths in the state. 22.7% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 22.7% were from cancer and less than 3.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10.3% 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)	62	22.7
Heart disease	62	22.7
Alzheimer's disease	14	5.1
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	11	4
Cerebrovascular diseases	10	3.7
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 3.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 3.7
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 3.7
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 3.7
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 3.7

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	28	10.3