Green Mountain Times

There were less than 10 deaths from diabetes mellitus reported in Vermont in the week ending May 29, making up less than 10.3 percent of total deaths by all causes in Vermont, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending May 29, there were 97 deaths in the state. 23.7 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease and 16.5 percent were from cancer Additionally, 11.3 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	23	23.7
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	16	16.5
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 10.3
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 10.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 10.3
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 10.3
Influenza and pneumonia	0	0
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	0	0
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	0	0

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	11	11.3