Last Frontier News

There were less than 10 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Alaska in the week ending Aug. 13, making up less than 35.7% of total deaths by all causes in Alaska, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Aug. 13, there were 28 deaths in the state. Less than 35.7% of deaths were caused by heart disease and 35.7% were from cancer

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	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	10	35.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 35.7
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 35.7
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 35.7
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 35.7
Heart disease	< 10	< 35.7
Influenza and pneumonia	0	0
Alzheimer's disease	0	0
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	0	0