In the week ending July 16, there were 860 deaths in the state. 19.7% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.2% 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.
The state of Washington top 10 causes of death in week ending July 16
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 169 | 19.7 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 165 | 19.2 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 58 | 6.7 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 53 | 6.2 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 49 | 5.7 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 42 | 4.9 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 31 | 3.6 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 31 | 3.6 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 10 | 1.2 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | < 10 | < 1.2 |
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