In the week ending May 21, there were 635 deaths in the state. 17.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 25.4% were from cancer and 2.4% 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.
The state of Washington top 10 causes of death in week ending May 21
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 161 | 25.4 |
| Heart disease | 110 | 17.3 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 36 | 5.7 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 35 | 5.5 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 34 | 5.4 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 24 | 3.8 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 15 | 2.4 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 10 | 1.6 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | < 1.6 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 0 | 0 |
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