Gem State Wire

There were 13 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Idaho in the week ending June 19, 2021, making up 4.1% of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 19, 2021, there were 314 deaths in the state. 19.7% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.7% were from cancer and 6.7% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 8.9% 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)	65	20.7
Heart disease	62	19.7
Alzheimer's disease	17	5.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	13	4.1
Cerebrovascular diseases	12	3.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	11	3.5
Diabetes mellitus	10	3.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	10	3.2
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 3.2
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 3.2

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	28	8.9