Gem State Wire

There were 15 deaths from Alzheimer's disease reported in Idaho in the week ending Aug. 5, making up 5.4% of total deaths by all causes in Idaho, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Aug. 5, there were 280 deaths in the state. 19.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.6% were from cancer and less than 3.6% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 11.8% 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)	55	19.6
Heart disease	55	19.6
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	16	5.7
Alzheimer's disease	15	5.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	11	3.9
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 3.6
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 3.6
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 3.6
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 3.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 3.6

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	33	11.8