Silver State Times

There were 23 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Nevada in the week ending July 31, making up 3.5 percent of total deaths by all causes in Nevada, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 31, there were 664 deaths in the state. 23.3 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 16 percent were from cancer and 39.5 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 6.2 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
Heart disease	155	23.3
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	132	19.9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	130	19.6
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	106	16
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	23	3.5
Cerebrovascular diseases	22	3.3
Alzheimer's disease	17	2.6
Diabetes mellitus	12	1.8
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.5
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.5

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	41	6.2