Green Mountain Times

There were less than 10 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Vermont in the week ending Dec. 24, making up less than 9% of total deaths by all causes in Vermont, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Dec. 24, there were 111 deaths in the state. 25.2% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 24.3% were from cancer and less than 9% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 9.9% 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	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Heart disease	28	25.2
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	27	24.3
Influenza and pneumonia	11	9.9
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 9
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 9
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 9
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 9
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	0	0

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	11	9.9