There were 48 deaths with chronic lower respiratory disease listed as the underlying cause reported in Massachusetts during the week ending June 17, a 6.7% increase over the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending June 17, there were 1,153 deaths in the state. 18.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 24.3% were from cancer and less than 0.9% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 11.8% of deaths were from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
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.
| Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending June 17 | Deaths in Week Ending June 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 280 | 242 |
| Heart disease | 211 | 221 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 48 | 45 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 36 | 54 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 32 | 24 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 23 | 25 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 22 | 13 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 18 | 26 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | < 10 | < 10 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | < 10 | < 10 |
| Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending June 17 | Deaths in Week Ending June 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 136 | 112 |
