In the week ending Oct. 8, there were 1,770 deaths in the state. 23.5% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.4% were from cancer and 9.3% 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 Oct. 8
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 416 | 23.5 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 361 | 20.4 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 99 | 5.6 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 80 | 4.5 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 65 | 3.7 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 60 | 3.4 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 50 | 2.8 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 36 | 2 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 31 | 1.8 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 26 | 1.5 |
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