In the week ending Sept. 3, there were 1,692 deaths in the state. 23.1% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 22.3% were from cancer and 6.8% 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 Sept. 3
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 391 | 23.1 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 377 | 22.3 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 75 | 4.4 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 70 | 4.1 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 64 | 3.8 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 56 | 3.3 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 40 | 2.4 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 35 | 2.1 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 27 | 1.6 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 25 | 1.5 |
Alerts Sign-up