Show-Me State Times

There were 16 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in Missouri in the week ending July 24, making up 1.1 percent of total deaths by all causes in Missouri, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 24, there were 1,400 deaths in the state. 22.1 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18 percent were from cancer and 27 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.1 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	309	22.1
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	252	18
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	195	13.9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	183	13.1
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	76	5.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	62	4.4
Alzheimer's disease	54	3.9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	35	2.5
Diabetes mellitus	30	2.1
Influenza and pneumonia	16	1.1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	99	7.1