The Sconi

There were 29 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Wisconsin in the week ending December 25, making up 3.3 percent of total deaths by all causes in Wisconsin, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending December 25, there were 879 deaths in the state. 16.8 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 17.9 percent were from cancer and 40 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10.8 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
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	188	21.4
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	164	18.7
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	157	17.9
Heart disease	148	16.8
Alzheimer's disease	45	5.1
Cerebrovascular diseases	32	3.6
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	29	3.3
Diabetes mellitus	21	2.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	14	1.6
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	95	10.8