Green Mountain Times

There were less than 10 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Vermont in the week ending June 17, making up less than 7.3% of total deaths by all causes in Vermont, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 17, there were 137 deaths in the state. 27% of deaths were caused by heart disease and 18.2% 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
Heart disease	37	27
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	25	18.2
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 7.3
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 7.3
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 7.3
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 7.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 7.3
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 7.3
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 7.3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0