Cornhusker State News

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Nebraska in the week ending June 17, making up less than 2.8% of total deaths by all causes in Nebraska, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 17, there were 358 deaths in the state. 17.6% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 23.7% were from cancer and less than 2.8% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7% 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
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	85	23.7
Heart disease	63	17.6
Diabetes mellitus	22	6.1
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	20	5.6
Cerebrovascular diseases	18	5
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 2.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 2.8
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 2.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 2.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 2.8

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	25	7