In the week ending Sept. 3, there were 956 deaths in the state. 19% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.9% were from cancer and 7.5% 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.
Arizona top 10 causes of death in week ending Sept. 3
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 209 | 21.9 |
| Heart disease | 182 | 19 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 63 | 6.6 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 49 | 5.1 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 49 | 5.1 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 40 | 4.2 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 32 | 3.3 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 24 | 2.5 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 12 | 1.3 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 1 |
Alerts Sign-up