In the week ending March 5, there were 1,526 deaths in the state. 23.8% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18.8% were from cancer and 12.2% were from COVID-19.
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.
New York state top 10 causes of death in week ending March 5
Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
---|---|---|
Heart disease | 363 | 23.8 |
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 287 | 18.8 |
COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 111 | 7.3 |
Cerebrovascular diseases | 76 | 5 |
COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 75 | 4.9 |
Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 49 | 3.2 |
Influenza and pneumonia | 38 | 2.5 |
Diabetes mellitus | 35 | 2.3 |
Alzheimer's disease | 34 | 2.2 |
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 28 | 1.8 |