There were 61 deaths with cancer listed as the underlying cause reported in Nevada during the week ending March 12, a 10.9% increase over the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending March 12, there were 406 deaths in the state. 23.4% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 15% were from cancer and 15.5% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 6.4% 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 March 12 | Deaths in Week Ending March 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 95 | 111 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 61 | 55 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 36 | 21 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 35 | 59 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 28 | 55 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 17 | 22 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 13 | 10 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 10 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | < 10 | < 10 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | < 10 | 11 |
| Cause of Death | Deaths in Week Ending March 12 | Deaths in Week Ending March 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 26 | 26 |
