Bluegrass Times

There were less than 10 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in Kentucky in the week ending Jan. 15, making up less than 4 percent of total deaths by all causes in Kentucky, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Jan. 15, there were 250 deaths in the state. 17.6 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.6 percent were from cancer and 40.4 percent 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.

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	54	21.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	53	21.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	48	19.2
Heart disease	44	17.6
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	17	6.8
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 4
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 4
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 4
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 4