Grand Canyon Times

There were 54 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in Arizona in the week ending July 17, making up four percent of total deaths by all causes in Arizona, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 17, there were 1,353 deaths in the state. 18.7 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18.7 percent were from cancer and 7.6 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.1 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	253	18.7
Heart disease	253	18.7
Cerebrovascular diseases	76	5.6
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	54	4
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	54	4
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	49	3.6
Diabetes mellitus	40	3
Alzheimer's disease	37	2.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	17	1.3
Influenza and pneumonia	11	0.8

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	96	7.1