In the week ending Oct. 29, there were 825 deaths in the state. 17% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 26.4% were from cancer and 4.2% 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.
The state of Washington top 10 causes of death in week ending Oct. 29
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 218 | 26.4 |
| Heart disease | 140 | 17 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 63 | 7.6 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 52 | 6.3 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 42 | 5.1 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 25 | 3 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 23 | 2.8 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 12 | 1.5 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 11 | 1.3 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 1.2 |
Alerts Sign-up