In the week ending Aug. 13, there were 844 deaths in the state. 22.2% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 22.6% were from cancer and 8.5% 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.
Wisconsin top 10 causes of death in week ending Aug. 13
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 191 | 22.6 |
| Heart disease | 187 | 22.2 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 43 | 5.1 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 38 | 4.5 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 35 | 4.1 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 32 | 3.8 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 29 | 3.4 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 20 | 2.4 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 16 | 1.9 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 13 | 1.5 |
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