Cornhusker State News

There were less than 10 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in Nebraska in the week ending Dec. 17, making up less than 3.5% of total deaths by all causes in Nebraska, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Dec. 17, there were 287 deaths in the state. 22.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.9% were from cancer and 10.8% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 11.1% 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	64	22.3
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	57	19.9
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	23	8
Cerebrovascular diseases	18	6.3
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	16	5.6
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	15	5.2
Alzheimer's disease	13	4.5
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 3.5
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 3.5
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 3.5

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	32	11.1